What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 786

The Decisive Battle (1)

“Receive this attack!”

-KWA-GWA-GWA-GWANG!

[Kuk!]

-Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeok······!

I clenched my teeth, bracing for a significant impact, but thankfully, Duke Johann’s wind protected me.

It felt more like his power was pushing me, amplifying my attack.

I plunged the Scepter into the barrier encircling the royal castle, catching my breath.

Beneath the staff, which emitted a light brighter than the moon, I saw the astonished faces of the people inside the royal castle.

Though I couldn’t clearly make out their expressions, they were frozen like ice, holding swords and spears, so I figured I was halfway there.

Of course, the soldiers’ shouts were deafening from all directions, and the golden radiance of ‘Noctiluca’ [a magical artifact or ability] was pouring down, so I was quite disoriented myself!

“Waaaaaaa!”

-Swaaaaa······!

“Your Highness, there’s a crack here! The barrier is really cracking!”

“Ah, yes! I see it!”

I smiled brightly at the ground and answered loudly.

Gae-in’s pink hair and arms were swinging wildly.

The night air was much colder and crisper than in the city.

Being so high up, I could see the entire cityscape at a glance, which was refreshing.

Though I never expected Valentin or the Sneider family’s troops to come up from the south…

-Flap, flap, flap!

“Aaaaaah······!”

“Liester! Liester! Liester!”

When has our plan ever gone exactly as planned? This is a great start.

I vigorously flapped my six wings and greeted the Liester cavalry gathering at the royal castle.

The knights at the front, raising their weapons and shouting, were a reassuring sight.

Seeing the divine lanterns spreading into the sky, I suddenly remembered memories from Aitz Village, and the corners of my mouth turned up.

“Chargeeeee!”

“Yaaaaaaa······!”

“Let’s go, Demi!”

-Kkihat!

I whispered to the divine beast in my arms and pulled out the Scepter with all my might. Jjeo-jeo-jeok! The already cracked barrier was further scarred.

The royal castle was, without a doubt, a fortress.

Just as it was impossible for all mages to use mana in the Liester Imperial Palace, it was impossible for all paladins to use special aether [a magical energy] in the Venetian royal castle.

In addition, there was a dome-shaped aether barrier that perfectly protected the castle from external attacks.

This, commonly called the ‘barrier,’ was usually completely transparent and invisible, but when it received a strong impact, it revealed its true form.

I heard from Pantheon that it was the will of the first king, Yuri Venetian, and a part of the power he left behind… In other words, the ancient cardinal was still protecting his descendants.

Or protecting something that must never be broken.

However, it couldn’t even block the full power of the Scepter made from the World Tree’s roots.

“Gae-in! Cedric!”

-Tat!

I focused all my power into the staff and landed quickly.

As the crescent moon at the top of the Scepter emitted a bright light again, some soldiers trying to attack us were horrified and ran away in droves.

While Duke Johann smiled like an angel, raised the tip of his index finger, and spun it around—a quiet wind was being born above his hand—Jibril Diop grabbed his staff that had flown in from somewhere!

“Looks like Sneider put some thought into it.”

“What’s going on?”

-Ssarrrrr······!

As I took a deep breath and asked, the golden boundary temple, manifested by Noctiluca, throbbed.

The people, whitened like starch, were trembling all over, prostrate on the floor.

I tried my best to make a face that wasn’t scary.

Diop looked back at them and answered coldly.

“They took those who failed in the paladin creation experiment, ‘Alchemy,’ and kept them alive in their mansion and warehouse…”

“It seems they were trying to overthrow the royal capital using the corrupted. That old man who works at the Duke’s residence must have deliberately released them. Then, the royal capital would naturally fall into chaos, and at that time, the Sneider family’s private soldiers would appear and save the royal capital—is that the strategy?”

‘In short, a self-made drama to create a hero,’ Gae-in said, gesturing behind her with her chin.

I took a breath and followed her gaze, then flinched.

‘Krrr.’ Rophy’s giant fire lion was holding a knight, who appeared to be from the Sneider family, in its mouth.

I don’t know how it interrogated him, but it was clear that it had extracted information while I was in the sky.

Finally, Cedric checked the edge of his Hyegeom [a special sword] and added.

“In addition, they were planning to turn Baron Valentin, who was chasing them, into an enemy of the royal capital. Since Valentin is politically close to the Kamingha Grand Duke, they could have created a favorable flow if they used him appropriately.”

“…They really put some thought into it.”

“I told you.”

“But we already took everything from them.”

I smiled and readjusted the Scepter. Then my friends chuckled and looked back at the main gate of the royal castle.

Some of the royal castle guards, whose formation had completely collapsed, were gnashing their teeth at us.

More than half of the soldiers who had been densely surrounding the castle walls had already been deployed inside the castle.

Inside the royal castle, the sound of drums and shouts continued to ring out, and red flames and black smoke were rising.

Nevertheless, I was inwardly chilled to see those who remained without batting an eye.

“Indeed. They cannot be controlled by religious reverence alone.”

“They must already be devoted to Sneider.”

Cedric and Duke Johann had a brief conversation.

The Crown Prince glanced at his teacher for a moment but did not say anything more.

The wind generated from the Cardinal’s fingertips was gradually growing and becoming a sign.

-Hwee-ee-eeng······!

-Kwaaaang! Kugugugung!

-Dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum······!

“······.”

I quietly looked ahead, holding Araumi’s reins.

The bridge leading to the castle gate was now completely open, so there was no way to enter without crossing the deep blue moat.

Of course, that was only for ordinary people.

We naturally had wings and wind, and the Cardinal who ruled the ocean and navigated it.

If we wanted to, forcibly opening the castle gate would be no big deal.

“Your Highness, all the partisans of the Imperial Army have arrived here!”

Around that time, a knight holding the flag of the Imperial Army high, fluttering her cloak, rode her horse from over there.

“The front of the royal castle is completely surrounded, and our army also has the upper hand in the rear, which is the north side. If you give the order, I will immediately assist you and enter the castle!”

While she bowed politely and waited for an answer, we quickly exchanged glances.

-Hwae-ae-aeng······!

“······.”

“······.”

“······.”

However, the best way to reduce the effort of our allies and save time is for the castle gate to open on its own.

For example…

-Ssae-ae-ae, ssae-ae-aeng······!

Finally, Duke Johann’s wind, which had become as fierce as a typhoon, touched the white barrier towers extending from the royal castle.

The aerial garden, located at the noble summit, scattered leaves in all directions as if it would be uprooted entirely.

The towering statues seemed to sway slightly in the darkness, and the blackened scars here and there resembled waves of flame.

However, what was most important in our operation was the bell tower.

The two towers that stood symmetrically, guarding both sides of the royal castle, and ringing the bell alternately every hour on the hour…

-Dding-geureong, dding-geureong, dding-geureong······!

-Ddaeng-geurang, ddaeng-geurang, ddaeng-geurang······!

The very moment they burst into tears ‘simultaneously’.

-Kwaga-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwa······!

“Aaaaaaack!”

‘Kwareureureu!’ Suddenly, one side of the royal castle wall collapsed like a toy, and a huge, crimson claw, like a heart of fire, gripped the spot to its full extent.

It was our Gugus [a creature or being], who had infiltrated the royal castle and had been waiting for Duke Johann’s signal all along.

In an instant, thirty percent of the Royal Guard were crushed under the bricks.

The rest, who had fallen into panic, also began to collapse like a sandcastle.

The one who appeared to be the captain of the Royal Guard was shouting something at the vanguard, but this time it didn’t work at all.

“Uwaaaaaack······!”

The winged priests and the Temple of Boundary might have frightened them, but they didn’t kill or threaten them.

But this time, the situation was very different.

-Taang!

[Those who do not surrender will be cursed by the Divine Dragon!]

The moment I struck the Scepter and delivered the oracle—

-Keureo-eo-eong······!

-Ureureureung! Kkwaga-ga-gang!

Gyu, who had revealed almost his perfect true form, roared with his mouth wide open, and at the same time, the night sky flashed brightly, and a sharp lightning bolt struck the royal castle.

Of course, it was Jibril Diop’s specialty!

The dragon’s scales reflected all sorts of colors, showing off a fascinating and terrifying figure, and Gyuh rolled his door-sized gray eyes and looked down at the humans outside the castle walls.

There was no need to use the power of any other main god.

The thick, long dragon whiskers wriggled as if they had found an interesting prey. ‘Keureureureung······!’

-Deng-geureong!

“Ah, ah······.”

The pale-faced captain of the Royal Guard dropped his vine-covered sword.

Apparently, he was a paladin of the wind attribute.

We could clearly see his legs trembling from afar.

That was the signal flare.

“Liester, are you ready—!”

When Gae-in shouted coolly and raised her right fist,

-Swaaaaa, swaaaa, swaaaa······!

-Badeudeuk! Badeudeudeut!

The water in the moat surrounding the royal castle instantly surged and began to take shape.

The fire-attribute paladins who could have blocked this were already kneeling on the dirt floor over there, or had fainted after meeting Gyuh’s eyes a little while ago, or were already rioting inside the royal castle.

Dozens of Royal Guards without aether finally threw away their weapons and ran away.

I realized that the sound of the army’s horns was already close at hand.

“Yaaaaaaa······!”

“Langbui! Langbui! Langbui! Langbui!”

I turned around, carrying the hot shouts.

-Bbuuuuu! Bbuuuuuuu······!

“Is that the Shinguk Army [likely a specific military unit]?”

“Yes.”

Duke Johann answered lightly as if he were talking about today’s weather.

I floated gently into the air and met his gaze.

Then his mint-colored eyes drew a familiar arc. ‘Of course.’

“I can hear His Majesty the Emperor’s roar too, though.”

That remark brought a hearty smile. It felt like even the last bit of tension was being released.

I looked at Jibril Diop and Rophy one last time.

“…Please take good care of Rophy. I’ll see you again soon.”

“Don’t worry about this side and just make sure to destroy the summoning circle.”

“······.”

“Because after that, you’ll be seeing us all the time.”

It wasn’t a bad farewell. I let out a small laugh and aimed at the main gate of the royal castle again.

The most beautiful canal bridge in the holy city, born from the assembly of perfect cuboid ice, was already waiting for us.

With the path leading to the inside of the royal castle wide open.

-Seureung!

The Hyegeom of Mars soared as if piercing the sky.

“Liester, follow me!”

The crimson cloak fluttered in the wind, and a dignified command came from the saddle of Charlemagne. ‘Cheok, cheok-cheok!’ The soldiers surrounding the royal castle matched their steps and pointed their weapons forward.

I soared into the sky from between Cedric and Gae-in.

-Hwiuuuuu······

The moment a single white feather flew beyond my vision, all the noise went out in a blink.

“…Let’s make an entrance!”

-Kkiyaaaa!

“Waaaaaaaaa······!”

And with Christel Langbui’s shout, the world began to move again.

Spreading all six wings, I gritted my teeth and passed through the main gate of the royal castle.

*

Like ice melting into water, it was flowing down quickly before my eyes.

“What is this, what is this······.”

-Dag-dak, dag-dak, dag-dak······!

All of Wilhelmina Sneider’s plans.

The Duchess groped busily out the window with a haggard face.

However, the state of the royal capital did not resemble any of the scenes she had expected.

There were no crowds welcoming her carriage, and no one recognizing the flag of the Sneider Ducal House came running to deliver news.

“Since when, no… Where did it go wrong?”

This was very strange and bizarre. Really, very…

It didn’t make sense.

-Hihihihing!

“Kuk!”

At that moment, the carriage stopped abruptly, throwing her aged body forward mercilessly.

The Duchess groped around, struggling to raise her creaking body, and looked outside. And…

-Keureureureung······

“······.”

Their eyes met.

With a messenger of a god (lion) burning with anger and revenge.