What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 883

Grace (6)

Blink….

…Blink.

Her eyelids slowly closed and then reopened. Gain thought blankly.

Did I just see color?

“…So it was you, ‘Ms. Gain’.”

She—the princess she was meeting for the first time—spoke kindly.

However, her dazed mind couldn’t immediately respond.

Her head was foggy, as if she were dreaming.

Gain’s blank gaze lingered on the other woman’s appearance for a long time.

The bonnet tied with a ribbon under her chin was very charming.

Her cheeks and forehead were as white as those of a child who had not yet experienced the storms of the world, and her flowing dress and the picnic basket on her right arm went well together, like a painting.

The fingers wearing mesh gloves were elegant, and the smile on her lips sparkled like June cherries.

She must have been only sixteen or seventeen. Cristel de Sarnese was a very beautiful and lovely young lady.

Several seconds later, Gain realized.

“……”

She couldn’t distinguish this person’s colors at all, but they didn’t need such confirmation.

“…It may be rude to say this to someone so precious, but you look very tired. Both you and the person on your back…”

“…Ah…”

“And Romero, the late Emperor, and that child too.”

A voice as soft as hot milk foam, with a texture as fine as a titmouse’s down. It was a timbre qualitatively different from Gain’s.

Her gaze turned sharply at the genuinely worried look.

The five Romeros in armor were sitting and resting, each leaning against Herit’s legs and the base of his wings.

The chest of the deeply sleeping boy rose and fell shallowly. The novice archmage on the Cardinal’s back was also limp, as if his mana had been exhausted.

Gain kept swallowing the saliva that kept pooling in her mouth.

“That…”

Words, language, proper sentences, couldn’t rise to her tongue and kept rolling down her throat.

Somehow, it was hard to make eye contact, so she ended up fumbling around with her gaze.

I have to greet her. Of course, it’s right for me to greet her warmly first.

“…Ms. Gain?”

“……”

A long time ago, probably not long after the possession.

Around that time, Gain had a lot of imaginations.

For example—if the owner of this body ever returned, if she ever met the ‘real’ Cristel, what would she say?

Should I apologize first? But I didn’t come here of my own free will, did I?

No. Still, still, let’s apologize. Let’s start by saying that I borrowed your body and caused a lot of trouble, as a matter of human decency. That’s what I should do. That’s right.

After all, I lived enjoying everything of a complete stranger, so that’s the least I can do. After that….

“I heard a fervent call, so I came to a path I don’t usually frequent. I’m glad I did. To meet you in the solitude between the stars.”

“……”

After that, what was I going to say….

“Um. I don’t know if it will be of much help, but I can cheer you up. I’ll set up a place for you, so please sit here.”

“Thank you.”

“……”

Yes. I wanted to thank you.

“…In the meantime, I owe you so much. Thank you so much.”

“……”

The sentences poured out like lost waves.

“Thank you. I… I’m just thankful for everything…”

…Thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for giving me a second chance.

Even if it wasn’t your will, even if you hated leaving like that more than death.

Still, I’m still grateful to you.

Because of your ebb tide, I was able to enjoy the high tide.

Because of you, I got the next part of my life.

“…I…”

I’m no longer poor or lonely.

I’m no longer someone who is helplessly angry and holed up at home, or someone who endures day after day feeling deprived.

I’ve become someone who can have pretty great thoughts, even if it’s only sometimes.

“…Thank you. From the first day… Actually, I wanted to say that from the very beginning. If I ever met you…”

…Thanks to you, I have a family.

“…That’s what I wanted to say, for sure. I’m sorry, I know it sounds like I’m just repeating the same thing over and over…”

“Your home is very warm.”

Suddenly, the princess gave an unexpected answer.

Gain finally met her eyes.

The clear eyes were gently curved towards the Cardinal.

The fingers that had taken off the gloves carefully wiped away the droplets flowing down her blood-stained cheeks.

“……”

‘Your home is very warm.’ Only then did she understand what she meant.

Her face was crumpled with laughter, making her expression a mess.

Gain barely managed to answer in a nasal voice.

“…Yes, it’s very warm.”

“……”

“So, so warm that sometimes I get confused about whether this is a dream or reality…”

“That’s a relief.”

Cristel whispered, looking into Gain’s eyes.

There was nothing but warm sincerity in her young eyes.

“I’m so glad.”

“……”

“This is my home now too.”

Ah….

“Sometimes noisy things happen, but it’s a warm place in its own way. I have a lot of work to do, so I’m a little busy. Ah…!”

-Rustle!

At that moment, something small and unidentified popped out of the princess’s basket.

Even with Cedric on her back, Gain quickly snatched it up with amazing reflexes. Where do you think you’re going—!

-Thump!

“Ugh, let go of this! Please let go…!”

“Huh…?”

It was a very small priest wearing a very small zucchetto [a small, round skullcap worn by Catholic clergy] on his head.

Her heart softened at the sight of it struggling with a tearful face as soon as it was caught in her grasp—

-Swish!

Her strength drained away!

“Oh my!”

The piece of priest that fell to the floor with a ‘thud!’ seemed to groan for a long time, then hurriedly ran away somewhere, afraid of being caught again.

Cristel covered her mouth with her fingertips as she watched its back. ‘It must be hard for him to be alone there….’

“…What was that just now?”

Gain asked, startled and dazed. Then the princess gave a bitter smile.

“It’s one of the pieces I take care of. A fragment of His Holiness Irenar Schneider.”

“…Excuse me? A fragment of who?”

The Cardinal ended up making a huge blunder.

Cristel laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.

A little later.

They were sitting in a pretty spot in the middle of the interstellar space.

It wasn’t exactly an accessory that suited Gain’s situation, but it blended in very beautifully with Cristel, the ‘Princess of the Remnant Stars’.

-Swish….

“So, like this… Usually, while taking care of the fragments of the interstellar space…”

“Only those who need my help. Not that many.”

The princess answered Gain’s question with an embarrassed expression.

She was gently sewing the five pieces of Romero together, which was a miracle that Gain could never understand and probably never will.

Soon, the united index Romero had grown to the length of a palm.

Of course, there were no visible stitches or threads!

“I’m in your debt again, Princess of the Remnant Stars.”

“You’re welcome. The honor is mine.”

Cristel, who had packed her sewing kit, now looked at the long-lying Cedric and Herit.

Gain felt her palms getting clammy and became very nervous.

The princess’s flawless, slender hands touched the hearts of the Crown Prince and Herit in turn.

“…Will they be okay? They both have to be completely okay. Of course, one of them spilled a lot of blood, but there really shouldn’t be any big problems until we meet the Palace Lord…”

“It doesn’t seem like a mana hibernation, and His Highness the Crown Prince seems to have fainted from exhaustion. I feel that this person’s vessel is in very good condition.”

“Haa… Thank you….”

“By the grace of God, this child is the same. I happen to have some medicine.”

Cristel’s eyes sparkled for a moment. She looked excited to be able to help.

The princess took out two small medicine bottles from her basket.

“Just on the last bookmark, I sewed up a fragment of a certain husband and received this as a thank you. His emerald hair was so beautiful!”

‘Rustle, rustle.’ Then the princess’s dress moved busily from side to side.

Gain watched her actions blankly.

Cristel poured one of the medicine bottles over the Crown Prince’s heart, then shook it vigorously so that not a single drop was left, before pouring the next medicine bottle over Herit’s chest.

The contents were not liquid but ‘energy’, so they left no trace on their clothes.

The one-palm Romero approached solemnly and examined the faces of the two.

“Let’s see, what else can I give to help… Ah, that’s right!”

“……”

And Cristel really seemed ‘okay’.

Gain forgot that she had to check on Cedric and Herit’s condition and stared at her blankly.

Her hands rummaging through the basket were busy.

Perhaps even a dream within a dream wouldn’t be more surreal than this. How could this be?

…Really, how?

“Are you okay?”

“…Yes?”

Sparkle, the princess raised her head. Unfiltered sentences flowed from Gain’s lips.

“…I took your body. It’s been several years already.”

“……”

The small hand stopped abruptly. Gain kept muttering like a possessed person.

The pure white, wide space felt very empty.

“Now, now Isabel too… I can’t even meet my mom… Even my father is dead. I always remember that the person is your biological father before he’s a traitor, you know.”

“……”

“It’s a very strange experience to have a bad dad die in a place I don’t know. I know it well because I’ve experienced it once too.”

“Ms. Gain.”

“I’m always grateful to you, and sorry, and that’s so natural… It’s never natural for you to be nice to me. But how can you be so okay…”

“……”

“Don’t you hate me? I’m really okay with it even if you do. I’m in a position where I have nothing to say even if you get angry because you hate seeing my face… You can resent me as much as you want.”

‘I’m ready to listen to your resentment for the rest of my life. Sincerely.’ Then Cristel frowned as if she had heard something very strange.

She seemed to be lost in thought, pursing her lips for a moment. Then….

“…Fan.”

“…Yes?”

Gain blinked. Cristel said again with a slightly awkward pronunciation.

“…Fan. I am a big fan of Ms. Gain. Is this the right word to use?”

‘It’s a word I learned after going to the edge of the interstellar space.’ The princess added with a smile.

The Cardinal stared at her with a dumbfounded face.

“…It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t a little sad. I miss my mom a lot sometimes.”

“……”

“Ellen, the people of the Lord’s Castle, the sandcastles and colorful seashells on the Sarnese coast…”

“……”

“…I miss them all sincerely, but, yeah. I miss my mom the most.”

“……”

Gain’s head dropped. Around that time, Cedric’s finger twitched slightly.

“…But it’s not Ms. Gain’s fault that I’m staying here.”

“……”

“It wasn’t Ms. Gain’s wish that she became the owner of my body either. So if I have to resent someone, it’s not you, even until the day the interstellar space turns completely black.”

“……”

“And I’ve decided not to resent anyone.”

…Gain raised her wide eyes.

The girl in front of her was whispering, wrapping her rough hand.

“Rather than being sad about a fate I can’t change, I decided to do what I can do here.”

“……”

“I take the lost and wandering pieces to the main road, and I serve refreshments to those who are tired under the stars. I sew up pieces that have been shattered like His Majesty Romero himself. I’m praised for being meticulous, even though I look like this.”

“It’s a well-known fact.”

The late Emperor added.

“Often, when I have free time, I sit on a comma and read Ms. Gain’s adventures. It’s the most widely read heroic tale in the interstellar space these days.”

“……”

Gain mouthed silently. Cristel continued to speak softly.

“It’s so much fun. It’s so much fun that I’ve even cried while laughing.”

“I cry with you when sad stories come out, and I sing with you when happy stories come out. I even dance with the pieces.”

“Ms. Gain has made my name that of a hero. I mean, I would never have dreamed of going to the battlefield! The only knife I’ve ever held since I was born is a kitchen knife.”

“Every action you take is wonderful and fantastic. The pieces here are also jealous of me, who looks just like you.”

“Ah! How overwhelmed I was when you liberated the Obsidian Sea Urchin!”

“So, as the pages turn naturally…”

“……”

The princess looked at the Cardinal softly.

Gain could intuitively tell that the girl’s cheeks were flushed.

“I became a ‘fan’.”

“……”

“I’m always… cheering you on.”

‘Ah, how embarrassing.’ The girl flinched and stepped away from the knight, covering her cheeks.

Gain now felt like she was really having a lucid dream. So….

“No… Well…”