What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 854

If It Doesn’t Work, Make It Work (4)

Cedric suddenly looked out the window.

“······.”

He thought he felt the wet moonlight, but it must have been a momentary illusion.

His tangerine eyes searched the night sky for a long time, but nothing changed.

The darkness was as black as resin melted in fire.

The moon’s shadow was also hiding itself, surrounded by twilight like a curtain. The Crown Prince couldn’t take his eyes off the desert night view for a long time.

Even when Leah, who was crawling up his calf, tilted her head.

-Kking?

“······Nothing.”

Gain and the three men, the boy and the divine beasts, and a wren were huddled together in the spacious living room.

The Gigolt Caravanserai was one of the largest accommodations in the desert, second to none, and the security of Gigolt Village was so good that it was difficult to find vacant rooms throughout the year. However, recently, the floating population had decreased significantly due to the war, and there were quite a few rooms left.

Thanks to this, the Moon Hunt team was able to use the largest suite with four bedrooms and a living room.

“If nothing major happens, we should reach the Shrine of Boundary by tomorrow afternoon. As soon as we get in, we can check the state of the Holy Grail of Wishes. Whether we glue the broken pieces together or assemble them like a puzzle. From here on out, we really don’t need to take out the map. Just follow the purple smoke.”

“The plan is simple, which is good, but isn’t that only if the Papal forces let us through?”

“Leave that to me.”

While Gain and Jibril were having a serious conversation with a map spread out on the table, Prince Yeser gently took over the conversation.

The two turned to him at the same time.

The violet eyes drew an arc with a mysterious light.

“Then shall we check our luggage before going to bed?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“And then let’s have a handshake.”

“······Yeah, sure. A handshake is good too.”

Gain smiled and nodded.

The five people, who had finished preparing for bed, began to pack their last luggage step by step.

Food items such as cheese and jerky were almost running out, but if they bought some along with Herrit’s snacks when they left tomorrow, there wouldn’t be a big problem.

The same went for the horses’ food and necessities, and there was always enough water and fruit······.

-Rustle!

“Oh, right! I’ve been carrying around His Majesty Hanan since the Yellow Palace. Did everyone see it?”

“We knew from the first day.”

“Okay.”

Gain, who had been holding the cloth doll in both hands, readily agreed and packed her bag again.

Herrit was also busy folding his small underwear and handkerchiefs.

Around that time, the Prince looked at the Crown Prince and said.

“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, I would like to get my pig sculpture back.”

“······.”

The living room soon became as cold as an unlit stove.

Gain slyly bit her cheek and watched the two men.

Cornelia’s gift to the Prince, ‘Porky,’ was currently in the Crown Prince’s jewelry box.

It was the Prince himself who opened the lid of the box, which was almost publicly revealed at the checkpoint, and slipped the pig sculpture in.

Since he hadn’t said anything for the next few hours, Gain hadn’t paid much attention to it, but it seemed like he thought it was time to collect it.

Cedric stared at the Prince for a long time, then silently took out the jewelry box from his luggage.

Gain desperately shut her mouth, afraid that if she said something wrong, he would put the jewelry box away again.

…Don’t even glance at the contents. Don’t peek even if you’re curious.

It seems like a pretty important item. David packed it separately.

Knowing him, it’s either an amazing weapon or an amazing story, one of the two.

It would be better if it was the former, but if it’s the latter, the atmosphere will be really awkward.

No, honestly, if it’s a weapon, I’m too curious….

-Click!

Porky was taken out of the easily opened box.

The Prince carefully received it, wiped it clean, and put it in his bag.

Then he said in an indifferent tone.

“What is in that jewelry box?”

Wow, amazing. The Prince is asking outright!

“······.”

“This is a sculpture my brother gave me, and Sir Christel has His Majesty Hanan’s cloth doll. Herrit said he keeps Sir Haines and Marquis Dium’s belongings in the ark.”

“Hey, you say something quickly too.”

‘Thwack!’ Gain poked Jibril in the side and spat out the words through her teeth.

The magician, who suddenly felt like his ribs were about to break, frowned.

“What? I don’t hide anything like someone else. How open-minded I am….”

“Anything will do! Just say something!”

Gain was now muttering as if she was about to grind him to dust.

“I saw David handing over the jewelry box with a solemn face. It could be helpful for the Moon Hunt, so wouldn’t it be better to play a truth game and open it together!”

-Awoo!

Tete blinked his black eyes and fluttered his flipper feet.

The man who made eye contact with the baby couldn’t maintain his annoyed expression for long….

“······Ha. This, earrings.”

He touched his amethyst earrings and grumbled.

Damn it. I didn’t want to say it if I could help it.

“Why the earrings? Is it a gift from your ex-girlfriend?”

“······That’s something the angel poured blessings on. I’m not sure, but there’s a scene I vaguely remember.”

“What?”

Gain’s eyes widened. The Crown Prince also looked at him with a rare surprised gaze.

Jibril cursed inwardly once again. Damn it.

“That person directly…. Hey, then you’ve been reborn as a lie detector these days, it wasn’t magic?”

“I’ve never heard of such a talent.”

“Let me wear it once too. Oh, just once! Or I’ll just look at it!”

“Don’t even dream about it.”

Gain quickly tried to touch the earrings, but Jibril dodged her touch with nimble movements and got up from his seat.

Perry and Leah, excited by the atmosphere that was about to turn into a fight, wiggled their butts.

Cedric glanced at the bickering couple and quietly looked into his jewelry box.

David had packed it so tightly that there was no room for the pig sculpture to fit, except for the lid.

Moreover, each item inside held a clear memory. They were fragments that he hadn’t looked at for a long time, but he could still clearly recall them.

For example, this is….

‘Seidi, let’s take a new magic tool today.’

‘Father?’

‘It’s a trumpet I carved for you.’

The Secretary of State, fluttering his sleeves ridiculously like a street jester, took out a small ivory trumpet in front of his young son.

His brightly smiling face was full of warm vitality and beauty.

The child, sweating profusely, moved his lips as he looked at his father.

The father always brought new gifts for the boy who had to go in and out of the dark room.

Without ever judging carelessly or preparing roughly, not even for a single day. Secretly.

Just wanting to comfort his beloved child.

‘My son. You are not alone.’

If you blow this trumpet, something special will happen. And….

‘Cedric. You are destined to become stronger in the future. So don’t worry.’

The highest grade magic stone diamond, the only one on the continent, with a crimson hue, five hundred and fifty carats.

This was a treasure that his mother had once whispered and handed him with bloody lips.

These are the socks that his father knitted again. And this one is….

‘Our lovely godson. A rainbow will one day appear in your sky.’

-Weung

The story that the godmother used to read.

‘Dear young master, dreams are the wind that your heart makes.’

‘Don’t be mean, and believe in your dreams.’

‘Then one day your rainbow will come to you with a smile.’

“Hey, how many times do I have to tell you it’s not a sacred stone? There’s no ether [aether, the classical element thought to fill the upper regions of space]!”

-Kku!

“Ah, I’ll just look at it from close by! I won’t touch it! Promise! I really promise!”

“Your eyeballs are glistening like they’ve been oiled right now. Do you know that?”

…A rainbow fairy tale book featuring ‘clear and blue fairies’ and ‘red and hot young masters.’

Cedric stroked the cover, not caring whether Gain and Jibril’s fight was spreading or not. Ropi sniffed the smell of the book and licked the back of his hand.

The old and faded novel was something that Cedric had listened to and read so often that he had memorized the entire literary world.

However, his memory had many parts that were broken and torn to pieces even before the angel flew away with the moon.

The Crown Prince gritted his teeth so as not to burn himself with the thoughts that were spreading like wildfire.

‘Let go, I can save him! I can save him! Let go of this!’

“······.”

‘Your Highness! Your Highness, please! Kill us instead!’

‘Aaaaaah! Nikki!’

‘-Swaaaaa······’

It was as if rain was pouring from the blocked ceiling. Cedric closed and opened his eyes for a moment.

A fierce rain of memories was pouring down over the dry desert night.

He straightened his body to hold the shaking bowl firmly.

The smell of blood in the illusion spread as if to paralyze his sense of smell.

Soon, a tearing scream is heard.

‘[I curse you! May the one who made you like this suffer the same pain as us…!]’

‘-Hooduduk······!’

A familiar sensation of being soaked in blood, not rainwater.

His whole body became sticky and heavy, and soon a sensation close to drowning dragged him down.

Cedric calmly tried to breathe out.

He took out a palm-sized book and trinkets from the jewelry box and placed them on the sofa, and groped the bottom of the box with calm hands. It was then.

-Rustle!

‘Your Highness.’

“······.”

The man’s eyes widened.

‘······It’s raining too much.’

He slowly looked down at what was in his hand.

The sound of rain in his ears was fading.

The umbrella slowly lifted upwards, revealing gentle eyes.

‘Our Palace Master is the only priest who worries about the cold in the fire attribute.’

‘Gain······.’

The memories that survived the fire fluttered and mixed with the ashes.

‘······Thanks to Your Highness, Herrit has a good friend.’

‘The child was able to escape from the adults’ shackles and not be in pain.’

Each one sparkles with gold. Like butterflies playing in a tulip field.

The small flapping of wings creates wind.

‘Was that a gift? It’s big and pretty.’

‘Thank you so much.’

‘His Majesty the Secretary of State must have taken care of it. Right? Secretly.’

Faster, even faster… The wind becomes a typhoon and rages.

‘Cedric! Please come to your senses! We have to go back!’

‘-Jjeojjeojeok!’

‘It seems like the Great Feast of the Advent of the Lord is not far away.’

‘We have plenty of time!’

‘You’ll be okay, Seidi. Because you’re not alone.’

‘-Hweeiiing······!’

From around the light, from within the darkness, from under the clouds, from above the moonlight—he whispers alternately to young Cedric and grown-up Seidi. Containing only true warmth.

‘Cedric! Take my hand!’

‘-Paaaaaa······!’

‘[If you sleep well and wake up, your body will be very light.]’

There is not a bit of falsehood in the way he casts the oracle [a prophecy or divine communication].

‘[And you won’t remember us.]’

‘What······!’

The man shines his purple eyes and blesses the boy forever. Warm ether spreads throughout his body. Cedric Liester’s complete vessel breaks, crushes, and unravels the Lord’s spell, restoring the memories of that day. The traces of unfamiliar civilization that get caught on his fingertips captivate his soul. Soon, the angel’s lips move silently.

‘[See you in the confessional.]’

‘Are you okay? Are you sick somewhere?’

‘-Ssaaaaa······!’

‘I’m…. I’m receiving confession. Because I’m a priest.’

The enchanted space-time overlaps. The light-lost blonde darkens to brown, and the eyes that had sunk to the color of the earth bloom again like the tulips of the Imperial Palace. This is something close to God’s harmony. It would be daring to call it a miracle.

The man remembers his last greeting.

‘[Happy New Year!]’

-Rustle!

‘Huff.’ Hot breath like steam poured out.

“······.”

Cedric looked down at his palm with a blank expression.

Cheap chocolate crumbs were rolling around on his gloves.

From some point on, Gain, who resonated with his vessel, was observing him with wide eyes.

Prince Yeser was only wearing his inscrutable smile.

Like fate, the eyes of the three people met.

The man spat out the first word that came to his mind.

“······‘Serenite’ [serenity].”