What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 89

#089 The Ghost of Padtrois (4)

“‘Esprit’ [French for spirit or mind] likes the darkness, as befits a demon. Its staple food is the corpses of demons, but it also consumes noise and mana,” Sir Haines explained. I nodded, listening intently.

“If it likes darkness and noise, there’s no better place than the opera house. It can hide in the audience and absorb music and applause.”

“Yes. It must have taken refuge here because it’s hard to find demon corpses in the Imperial City. When it’s really desperate, it would have taken the mana of the actors.”

Christel, who had been listening to Sir Haines and me, sparkled her eyes.

“Shall we just wipe it out? We can hose down the entire theater, or Your Highness can set it on fire. With the Prince here, there’s plenty of Aether [a magical energy source].”

“Princess Christel, that would be a little difficult,” Lady Elisabeth answered, smiling at her friend with a troubled expression. “This is the Imperial City, after all. It’s different from the ‘Great Demon Subjugation,’ where we make a full-scale effort to hunt demons. If you catch a demon with great power in front of many people, it will create anxiety among the citizens. I don’t recommend an overreaction since the opponent is a low-level demon.”

“Ugh.” Christel rested her chin on her hand.

“Also, Your Highness will ascend to the Crown Prince position the month after next. Until then, it’s best not to be the subject of gossip among the nobles.” Indeed, she was worthy of being the heir to a Count family and the Crown Prince’s lifelong best friend.

I glanced at Prince Cedric, who was standing like a statue. The Holy Knight appearing in the Empire is definitely a blessing, but him knocking down thugs with holy power and spraying Sprite showers is very different from setting fire to a theater in the middle of the capital.

The majority would praise him as a hero, but some would feel fear. Even if he is going to be the Emperor, he wouldn’t like that.

“Can’t we evacuate the audience in advance?” I asked. The four of them stared at me.

“I know that it can transform into a human. If we rashly move the crowd, there’s a high probability that it will blend in and run away. Is there really no way to identify it?” It is most certain to trap it in the theater and catch it, but how can we find it when we don’t know who it has turned into?

Besides, no matter how much we are on the ‘stealth’ route, we couldn’t leave that many ordinary people in the operation zone. It’s getting troublesome.

“Since it’s a demon, it can’t speak human language,” Christel said, her spirits lifting again. Lady Elisabeth and I widened our eyes. That’s right. It only copies physical conditions, so it can’t have language skills. It wouldn’t be able to answer even if we talked to it. Hmm, this alone is not enough.

“There is a way to find out for sure,” Sir Haines, who had been quietly watching us, opened his mouth. A subtle playfulness settled on his drooping eyes. He looked at Christel and the Prince alternately and spoke softly, like a gentle breeze, “It’s a bit tricky, but those I teach should be able to find it.”

*

“I’m nervous.”

“Calm down, Your Highness. Everyone will do well,” Sir Haines said soothingly. He always called me ‘Your Highness’ when it was just the two of us. Even though he gave up his nationality and became affiliated with the Papal States, his origin is the Venetian New Nation, huh? I tried to think about other things and stared intently at the stage.

Soon, as the orchestra’s splendid performance ended, the dancers began to exit with quick steps. The red curtain slowly covered the stage, then quickly opened to the left and right again. Finally, Act 1 was rising. I barely managed to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out at the sight before my eyes.

“Heh.” No, I couldn’t hold back. That’s because the actor on the stage was….

“Oh! My beautiful Daphne. Is it to beg me to wake you up that you lie so deathly asleep? Or has that cruel god truly taken you from my arms?” My mouth dropped open involuntarily. He memorized all of that in that short time? Our protagonist, who was wearing a white half-mask, was showing off his crazy acting skills. He stumbled slightly in the middle, but it was a performance so outstanding that it was hard to believe he was a beginner.

Soon, Christel, unable to contain her sadness, sat down on the floor and looked into the black coffin containing ‘Daphne.’ My palms were sweating. Act 1 of was said to begin by first showing the dramatic breakup of Daphne and Chloe. To make Chloe, who had been guiding him and writing songs for him since he was a child, his complete prisoner, the ballet dancer Daphne takes his own life as a hostage. He takes a potion that makes him appear dead and falls asleep, but Chloe believes that Daphne really died because of her. It was a mix of and Shakespeare.

-Slap!

Christel reached out and slapped the man lying in the coffin hard on the cheek. I flinched. You’re supposed to caress him!

“Too cold. It’s like the glaciers of the North Sea! No, I can’t believe it!” The vast majority of the audience seemed to be so engrossed in her performance that they didn’t notice, but I definitely saw it. Daphne, buried in flowers, that is, the Prince, clenched his fist!

“Ah. Annoying, no. I’m angry. I want to break the wheel of fate that took you away! But to do so, I must destroy myself first….” Christel shook the Prince’s cheeks and trembled. Some audience members were already letting out pitiful groans, but in my opinion, she seemed to be struggling a lot before the next line and action. Is it that much? He’s so handsome?

“Last…. If this is the last… the last… Eupmeucheumeul….” The word she chewed and spat out was ‘kiss.’ After that, her lips fluttered, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. Soon, Christel slowly lowered her face over the coffin. The Prince’s picturesque profile was visible, but no one seemed to believe that it was the real Prince. Pink hair flowed down and mixed with jet-black hair. I hurriedly covered my mouth with both hands. Jung Eun-seo, are you watching!

“Ah!” Just before the tips of their noses touched, Christel screamed and jumped up. The audience gasped. What a pity!

“Hmm. That’s it. Now, a song. The rhythm in which you and I… the incident is engraved.” ‘Love’ isn’t it? Whether I was wondering or not, Christel quickly caught the beat. She seemed to be thinking of quickly moving on to the aria, since the lines didn’t matter. Well, that was the most urgent thing to do to find the demon. A deafening noise, a wizard’s powerful mana, and a sacred object that could draw out the demon’s aggression. The two were a perfect pair with all the bait.

-♩♪♬….

The orchestra’s tragic and mournful melody echoed. Even though the two did not share a farewell kiss, the audience easily immersed themselves in the play and understood the flow. It’s a relief, but….

“Hmm, hmm.” Christel came to the front of the stage and cleared her throat. That was the signal. Sir Haines and I turned our heads and exchanged glances. Then,

“When! Will! You! Comeee?” Wait, that’s not it?! I widened my eyes. It was a very unfamiliar lyrics and sentiment to the ‘Toegye Gong’ universe [likely a reference to a specific fictional world or series]. ‘Chloe’ was singing a dirge instead of a love song for Daphne. The nobles buzzed at the pitch and rhythm that were completely separate from the orchestra’s performance. Still, it was fortunate that her volume was good. Because the demon will show a full-scale reaction!

“The day you come? Tell! Meeeee?” The protagonist recited the lyrics clearly and scanned the dark audience with her big eyes. There was no 4th floor, 3rd floor, 2nd floor…. I could feel the tension swelling in Sir Haines’ upper arm next to me. Christel’s voice filled the theater loudly.

“The road to the afterlife? Is so far! Away! 1st floor, Zone A! Row H, Number 13!”

-Kwaang!

At the same time as her words, Sir Haines shot out to the coordinates. A white wind swept past my hair. I quickly deployed the Sanctuary and walked out. A circle with a diameter of 30m surrounded dozens of audience members and sprinkled brilliant gold. From now on, it’s a race against time!

[Everyone, please stand up quietly and orderly and go out through the main gate. After that, please follow the guidance of the Imperial Guards until you return home!]

“Yes, yes!”

“I understand, Your Highness!” The nobles nodded and stood up in droves. The power of the oracle was strong. Those outside the Sanctuary were very confused, but the audience who heard my words calmly lined up, so they were also calming down.

-쾅!

“This is the Imperial Guard. Everyone, take refuge!”

“A low-level demon has appeared! We are taking action, so please evacuate!” The doors also opened in order from the box seats on the 2nd and 3rd floors and the audience seats on the 4th floor. I could hear Lady Elisabeth’s voice leading the crowd from afar. I continued to give oracles, focusing on the places where children were visible.

[Don’t worry. Everyone will be safe. Get out one by one, step by step!]

“Waaaaah!”

[Oh my, I’m scared. It’s okay. Nothing will happen.] I smiled as I gently hugged the crying child. The little one who felt my Aether quickly stopped crying. The parents hurriedly bowed and expressed their gratitude. I gently handed over the child and turned my gaze, and the stage was right in front of me. Christel took off her mask, looking down at the crowd that was receding like a tide.

“Teacher!” She shouted loudly, looking towards Zone A. But Sir Haines,

“It copied him.”

There were two of them! The Prince who walked out of the theater immediately drew his Hye Geom [likely a unique sword or weapon]. I was shocked to see the two men fighting, scattering their white hair. They looked exactly the same without an inch of error. Because it copied the physical conditions, it was as fast and strong as Sir Haines. But,

-Kukung!

The Prince’s shadow shot out like a bullet. The theater floor was dented. The auditorium was brightly lit, but the Prince already knew the hint to distinguish the demon. It was the same way Christel found out the demon’s coordinates.

“Kut!”

-Kwaaang!

-Haaak!

Sir Haines quickly flew away, and the Prince’s sword was deeply embedded in the spot. The demon also avoided his attack in an instant and made a threatening sound. The speed of the Archpriest-level Holy Knight copy was enormous. The demon’s eyes flickered like glow-in-the-dark stickers. That was it.

A being that reacts to prey and emits light in the dark. That’s why it was named Esprit, or ‘Ghost.’

-Hoo-ook!

The demon charged at the Prince with an invisible movement. It’s over. Without being able to use Aether or mana and only copying the ‘body’ of a person, it can’t face the Hye Geom with bare fists….

At that time, the demon found me.

-Ssaaaa!

“That’s it!” I shouted. The demon was smiling brightly, taking my form. In an instant, the Prince’s movements faltered. He let the fist flow and unexpectedly hit the demon with the scabbard. Are you stupid!

-Peo-uk!

“Then it’s my turn!” ‘It’s easy if it’s the Prince!’ Christel let out a sad sound cheerfully and pounced on the demon rolling on the floor. I squeezed my eyes shut and bent my waist under the chair. I thought I should complete the task I was assigned. I need to check if there are any people left in the audience,

“Oh, you son of a bitch!” But Christel yelled loudly. I was surprised and raised my upper body again. My jaw dropped automatically at the sight that immediately appeared. The Prince hugged Christel’s waist with one arm, and with the other arm, he grabbed one of her wrists and brought his lips close….

“Wow. It’s almost the same as the cover,”

-Paak!

The protagonist headbutted his chin. It sounded like a watermelon breaking!

-Hahak, haaak!

The demon, who was in the form of the Prince, writhed in pain and retreated. The demon’s appearance blurred and intensified like a mirage. The staggering moment was not long. Christel, who was properly pissed off, immediately pulled out a long ice spear from her hand,

-Pook!

-Kwak!

She stabbed the demon’s left eye deeply. At the same time, the black tip of a sword popped out of the right eye. A black-haired man who was similarly heated up, stabbed the Hye Geom from behind.

-Kaaaak!

The demon screamed. As the Prince mercilessly pulled out the sword, the appearances of those he had copied so far floated wildly above the demon as if TV channels were turning. I checked the last seat on the first floor and swallowed hard. It’s all done now. The glowing eyes of the Esprit were said to be the vital point among the vital points. Soon, when the vulnerable body is revealed….

-Puh-ung!

With animation-like sound effects, a black goblin fire appeared in front of the two men and women. Christel didn’t hold back.

-Seogeok!

A sharp ice knife cut the ghost in a straight line. Pink bangs rippled. At that moment,

-Ping!

A sound like a bullet rang out. Something small and white rushed towards my heart.