What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 735

Memphis in the Moonlight (3)

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

A terrible silence hung over the basement kitchen for a while.

Tete was breathing softly, her face buried in my chest as if terrified, while Demi and Leia burrowed into François’ arms.

I stared down at the papal document that had endured a thousand years, trying to calm myself.

The one who broke the silence was none other than the landlord.

“Then… could it be that the Venetian relics weren’t fixed in one place for that reason? To avoid entering the summoning circle?”

“······.”

Leopold Lasso asked with a pale face.

No one could answer his question, but we were all thinking along similar lines.

Even the pigeons had hidden under the table, and Djibril Diop sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Ms. Gain gulped down the wine she had poured from an oak barrel.

-Clack!

“So, to summarize. Wilhelmina Schneider is even more of a degenerate than Liliana Venetian, is that right? Am I correct?”

It was an undeniable truth.

“The late king was so serious about becoming a god that he manipulated his illegitimate child to start a war, and he didn’t care about driving tens of thousands of lives to the battlefields and streets. But in the end, that human trash gave up. Why?”

“Because he had too much to lose.”

Sir John, who had been silent all along, said calmly.

He looked back at Isabel, his eyes showing no emotion.

“He was the king of a country. He must have had a clear psychological barrier, the idea that he could not exist without the country. And Romero’s late king’s relentless madness must have been an unforeseen variable.”

“It’s a case where the sense of crisis as royalty overcame ambition. But Schneider has nothing to lose.”

I added, one word at a time. At the same time, my friends’ eyes were fixed on me.

“This country is not Schneider’s yet. The Venetian royal family has protected the throne for over a thousand years, regardless of their political actions. From Schneider’s perspective, this is a win-win situation for her. If the Venetian family can defend the country once again in this war, it would be good for her to maintain her political position and proceed with her plans step by step. She might even continue her damned bio-experiments somewhere in secret. And if the Venetian family is defeated or destroyed….”

“She will also use that as an opportunity.”

The Crown Prince said, holding down the document with his large hand.

I nodded, meeting his eyes.

“Yes. Because it’s not her country anyway. The worse the situation, the more rampant the cults become, and that is also advantageous to Schneider.”

“It’s outrageous. Where on earth did you learn that kind of thinking?”

“You’re just an ambiguously elite-educated playboy, so you can’t even imagine it.”

Our protagonist sharply pointed out, leaving the annoyed Diop behind.

Her Majesty leaned her weak body against the pepper pot.

-Haa… Even if I had to die a thousand times that day, I should have beheaded Yuri.

“We have relics. At least the New Kingdom army knows that the Comet Sword of Mars and the Blessing of the Azure Sea are in our possession. I heard that Sir Christel’s use of the Repository of the Ice Silkworm has also been exposed. So, the fact that the relics are flocking to the capital is a boon for Schneider, who is aiming for the Main God.”

“Um, Your Highness. But according to the papal document… aren’t all four attributes of relics needed to summon the Main God?”

Sant asked in a trembling voice. I calmly agreed with him.

“That’s right. And the Gale’s Aegis and the Spirit of Iran, which are not here….”

As I spoke, the hardships we had overcome flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.

‘-Good luck, Little Moon. Don’t forget your crown either!’

‘Thank you. I hope you get well soon too, Spirit.’

‘-Yes. Lovely.’

The Spirit, trapped in the dark underground market of Yeriho, tortured and deprived of power by black magicians for a long time.

The friendly Kina and Willem siblings. Mr. Morhan, who had deep wounds and aether.

The connections from the Sea Dragon Military Academy we met on the northern coast. Ms. Tess, who is good at archery.

Master Sem, the headmaster who looks scary but is actually delicate.

The Four Dragons (蛇龍) [Shē lóng – Snake Dragons], who were scattered as fire salamanders, protecting the sea.

“······.”

“······Your Highness?”

‘Thank you for your grace, angel. Thank you sincerely. I pray that all your wishes come true….’

‘Thank you. I will also pray for Alain.’

And Alain, who was a participant in the Holy Knight creation experiment conducted in the secret chamber of Atsuma.

She survived there until the end and awakened as a knight of the air attribute.

I remembered that we had taken care of her ourselves when she was suffering from awakening fever (覺醒熱) [Juéxǐng rè – Awakening Fever, a condition associated with the manifestation of magical abilities].

“······Schneider had already secured two relics.”

I muttered to myself. François rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“······I see. The Spirit of Iran and the heart of the Sea Dragon were already in the Duke’s grasp, and perhaps even the fact that Princess Elysee Venetian tamed the Gale’s Aegis was an opportunity for him.”

“Moreover, Werner Venetian was manipulating Duke Simon de Sarnese from behind.”

“······.”

“······.”

The color drained from the faces of my friends who understood my words.

I immediately met Isabel’s eyes. I saw her lips trembling slightly.

‘Could it be.’

“Even without the Repository of the Ice Silkworm, the water attribute relic, Wilhelmina wouldn’t have cared. Because Sarnese, a spy family of the New Kingdom, was guarding the ‘Blessing of the Azure Sea.’ She must have thought that it would be resolved somehow, someday.”

“Oh my god.”

“Oh, God….”

“If that were the case, Schneider would have been very close to success. Even though I don’t know what the specific plan was.”

Sir John tilted his head and took my words.

Ms. Gain, who pushed a new glass of wine to her mother—Isabel immediately drank it—snapped her fingers.

“That’s right. The Spirit is locked up in the underground market, the Sea Dragon is already being experimented on after being taken away from Pisces. The Crown Princess caught the Aegis on her own. And she has a guy she can secretly use who has a water attribute substitute… The picture itself was perfect. It’s enough to make her head spin with the idea of becoming a god.”

“And you overturned that whole board.”

Diop winked at me. I just shrugged.

“I didn’t intend to, but it turned out that way. It’s something I could never have dreamed of doing alone. The problem is that Schneider is leading the civil war in the New Kingdom even in the midst of all this.”

“Oh, it’s a difficult part to understand.”

-Kkia

François said, supporting his chin with his fingertips.

Even Peri was now on his back.

“It is difficult for us to understand what exactly she wants to gain from the conflict with the Crown Princess. If she is coveting her relic, it would be wiser to pursue a smooth relationship. But Schneider is virtually dividing this country in half.”

“Hmm.”

“If it was just something she did aiming for the activation of the summoning circle, it would be a bit reckless. Isn’t she taking the risk of becoming a traitor when a perfect success is not guaranteed?”

“······It’s definitely not an action that suits Schneider’s personality. For her to give the Crown Princess an excuse when she destroys all the evidence.”

I soothed the whining Tete and answered.

The gentle baby quickly calmed down when I gave her an aether bead.

I thought, looking at Tete’s young eyes that were closing.

-Awoong

“······.”

…Something’s fishy. Wilhelmina Schneider has another plan.

Another scheme besides the summoning circle.

“There’s no way to know. Right now, we’re as isolated as we can be in terms of intelligence. We don’t even have carrier pigeons, let alone the Ark of Bireom [a high-tech communication device].”

“If it’s a carrier pigeon, I’ll prepare it, Swallow Duke.”

“How long are you going to keep making that Swallow sound?”

“Thank you so much, Leopold. It would be a great help if you did.”

“Um. I have pigeons that follow my words well, so even if it’s difficult to cross the continent, they will be able to reach the Thousand Road.”

The Duke smiled awkwardly. It was a great relief.

I was sincerely relieved that I would be able to deliver the news to His Majesty the Emperor once again.

It wouldn’t be as fast and safe as Dduk-ssim, but we had to do something.

There was a crazy group that had been repeating all kinds of research and experiments to kill the Main God, and even their roots were the first king of Venetian.

In short, the cornerstone of the country was completely rotten….

“But, Angel Duke, if this document contains such important information….”

The Duke looked back at his friends and trailed off.

Beyond the low window frame of the basement, long moonlight came down and illuminated the parchment on the table.

I immediately understood the man’s meaning. His troubled expression too.

“Yes. It can’t be an ordinary stolen item.”

“······.”

‘Royal family! Schneider! Summoning circle! You don’t even know one of them! How are you going to protect this family!’

‘Lasso must live like this! Without making a sound! Flat. Lying flat on the ground! Selling demons! Touching money! Pretending not to know even though you know everything!’

The old woman who grabbed the blade of the rapier with her bare hands, screaming without caring that blood was pouring down her forearm.

The late Duke Lasso, who was literally bloodshot to kill his son.

I heard her words directly on the spot, so I couldn’t pretend not to know now.

“As a collateral line of the Venetian royal family, the ancestors of the Lasso family must have already known. The fact that the direct royal family was planning to kill the Main God. That’s why they built such a grand shelter.”

-Why are the royals so busy avoiding responsibility and saving their own lives? It is right to bury them all with me.

“That’s tempting, Your Majesty.”

Sir John replied with a smile. Oh my god.

“Did only Lasso know? Honestly, I think other royals knew it too. Rin, don’t you remember anything?”

Ms. Gain asked the baby who was sitting in a chair and fiddling with the food.

After all, Rin was also a royal when she was Isenia.

Cedric gently took out the bread and stopped the child. ‘You need to relearn table manners.’

“Uum. I don’t.”

“I guess you don’t have those memories left….”

“But, sister. That came from the desert.”

“That? Ah, the papal document? Yes, usually. It came from the desert because the Pope wrote it himself.”

“No. Euu… That person took it. That person took it and….”

‘What was it?’ Rin frowned her small brow and looked back at me.

Only then could I breathe a little and smile. It was already late at night.

Looking at her eyes, which were covered with sleep, I thought I should send the children up first.

Lophi, who was hanging on the Crown Prince’s neck, also looked very sleepy.

I asked Ms. Gain to take care of Tete, then gently released aether and picked up Rin.

“Young-cha, Rin. Let’s go to sleep. Let’s go coo with the divine beasts.”

“No, that… What is it…? Irum. What is it?”

“It’s okay. It’s not urgent. Babies don’t need to know.”

“No, no, Rin knows! Irener!”

….

“Irener! Ung! That person took it. Sent that.”

“······.”

It was a name that no one could have imagined.

“······.”

“What?”

The baby looked at me with pink eyes, wanting praise.

Her sausage-like round finger was pointing at the parchment on the table.

I felt goosebumps all over my body and moved my lips.

Cedric and Ms. Gain, who turned around, also had their pupils shaking greatly. Isabel and François hurriedly covered their mouths with their hands.

Sant and Leopold were too shocked to show any meaningful reaction.

Who took this out?

“······.”

“Are you saying that Irene Schneider, the last Pope, took this document from the Vatican and sent it to the Schneider Duchy? Is that right?”

Duke Diop asked in a voice as cold as a jewel.

Rin’s chubby cheeks turned towards him.

“Ung.”

“Little girl, do you know what you’re talking about? Can you take responsibility for that statement?”

“Duke.”

“It’s not responsibility, it’s real.”

The baby answered bravely. My heart kept pounding.

“I, I don’t remember much, but I know that.”

“······.”

“Sung-gae [Directly]. From the Ark of the Covenant (聖櫃) [Shèng guì – Holy Ark], Irene took it out. Jijeop [Directly].”

“‘Directly’ would be right.”

“······.”

I slowly lowered my eyelids.

The memories of one day quickly stick together like puzzle pieces that have finally found their place.

The conversation on that day, when a white line was drawn in the sky and the barracks fell into chaos, becomes clear.

Ganael’s urgent voice rings in my ears like an alarm.

‘Herit opened the Ark of the Covenant, and there was no problem up to that point. Everything was normal until I saw the contents and wrote them down….’

‘Suddenly, a piece of paper fell to the floor. As soon as it touched, the roots of the World Tree ‘fizzed!’’

‘It burst into a terrifying light!’

Herit, Sir John’s son, had already opened the Ark of the Covenant.

But there was nothing special in it except Jeong Hyun-seo’s ‘setting book’.

My teacher and Sir Erbe had taken the children on a wild goose chase.

I opened my eyes wide.

-…Indeed. So that place was empty.

“······.”

Because Pope Irene Schneider had previously taken Mateis Roselharder’s document.