What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 890

#890 Faith, Belief, Balance?! (3)

-Thump, thump, thump!

The presence of soldiers, easily numbering in the hundreds, was palpable.

The sound of their footsteps as they completed their long march and came to a synchronized halt echoed.

The sounds of the Imperial Army soldiers weren’t right below the window.

The red pandas hanging on the wall quietly twitched their ears.

The divine beasts also sensed that the shout that had just echoed outside the window was unusual.

“······.”

“······.”

“Open the door! We are from the Papal States―!”

“We have come with information that His Holiness, the prospective Pope, is here. Manager!”

Gulp. Someone shouted loudly from the main gate of the Gigolt Caravanserai [a roadside inn or compound where caravans could rest and resupply], in the opposite direction from the window where we were sitting.

The knights below the window quickly exchanged glances.

The cool air of dawn and the dry smell of sand swirled around me, as if setting the stage for a play.

I wracked my brain as fast as I could at this hour.

Making such a fuss at the crack of dawn, waking up all the townspeople, just to come all the way here to pick up the ‘prospective Pope’?

Who could that be?

“Yesuh, over there.”

Just then, the Prince pointed to a spot with his finger.

I quickly followed his fingertip with my gaze. Huh? It’s just an empty desert······.

“······Ah.”

In an instant, a realization tingled down my spine.

My eyes widened in surprise, and my mouth formed an ‘O’.

It was still dark and not clearly visible, but the direction the Prince pointed was probably the ‘Temple of Boundary’, that is, the direction where the Papal States was located.

But that sky was unusually clear and clean today.

Yes, unusually so.

“······The smoke······.”

“Yes.”

The Papal States’ purple smoke, which used to dye the vicinity purple on windy days······.

-Whoosh······

“······It stopped.”

It was no longer visible at all.

I was sure they said it reached all the way to the top of the sky.

That it flowed in clumps past the shadow of the moon to a very high place, that you could see the purple smoke from all over the continent······.

Cornelia and Yiseol had told me that when I came to the inn last night.

I remember witnessing it beyond a large mountain range. On ‘that day’.

“······Huh.”

Wait a minute. Come to think of it, what was it like yesterday? Could it be that the smoke stopped around that time?

I didn’t have a clear memory because I was too busy crossing dimensions last night.

I rubbed my arm for no reason, feeling a strange chill. It was then.

“What was that sound just now? His Holiness, the prospective Pope—does that mean a Pope has really appeared on the continent?”

“I guess so. Papal States troops are lined up all the way to the entrance of the village!”

“Heok!”

Unfamiliar voices sprouted from beyond the fence.

They didn’t seem to be disciplined Imperial Army soldiers, but rather residents of Gigolt Village who had woken up.

This time, I was so startled that I almost rolled off, but I miraculously recovered and leaned against the wall inside the living room.

Then, the Prince sitting on the windowsill gently pulled me. Huh? This person······?

“P, Prince, just a moment, even if you’re tied up with vines, if you move like that······!”

“Shh. It’s okay because you have wings.”

“Y-yes?”

You’re trying to escape using me? Even though there’s a sudden variable?!

While I was stammering and clinging to the windowsill, the Prince, as beautiful as the Moon Goddess, smiled softly and threw himself out the window—Aaaagh, Eunseo, please have mercy―!

“Prince! Prince!”

-Kiya······

I wanted to call out to him in a loud voice, but if I did, not only the Imperial Army but also my friends in the next room would be alerted, so I made a sound mixed with as much air as possible.

Then he poked his head out from above the window and slightly creased his eyes.

Excuse me, but are you laughing right now?

“It’s okay. Compared to the Royal Castle, this is nothing, so don’t worry.”

“Yes? The Royal Castle?”

The man whispered, reaching out his hand to me.

I was flustered, but I grabbed his arm tightly anyway.

I can’t help it; I heard the sound of the door closing in Diope’s room just now. He must have finished washing up!

“No, did you often do this in the Royal Castle, usually? But the rumors of being a playboy are lies spread by the Royal Secretary······.”

“One, two, three, heave-ho.”

“Keuheoeok.”

I made a strange noise and stuck to the outer wall of the building!

Demi and Peridot were soon dangling from my legs. Oh my god.

“Prince, Prince, there’s nowhere to step down here. We’re really in big trouble now.”

“Just do as planned. The two children will create a place to step on below.”

“Ah, that’s right, I forgot. I’m too nervous.”

I finally came to my senses a little at his calm voice.

Yes, let’s move quickly. Let’s just check on my friends’ situation before sunrise and come back quickly.

That’s really all. I’ve hidden four thick Rafflesias [a genus of parasitic plants] in the bedsheets, and Rhea will take good care of Tete in the cradle, so there won’t be any problem for about an hour.

Of course, I’m the partner priest, so it’s only natural to check on my friends’ condition as soon as I get back.

I know that Crown Ether is a troublesome technique, but still.

“······Yes, I’m ready. Let’s move.”

“Your eyes are excellent, Yesuh.”

······Instead of resolving our longing, we’re separated from the first day, can you believe it!

Besides, everyone’s bodies are battered!

-Rustle, rustle, crunch, crunch······

“This way.”

“Yes.”

I naturally followed behind the Prince, who was taking the lead, stepping on the sturdy stems that Demi and Peridot were growing, and groped my way along the wall.

The vines tied around my waist like a safety belt are connected to the inside, and even if my foot slips, I have wings, so I’m relieved······.

“What? What’s going on?”

Huh, it’s obviously the inn staff. The Prince and I took a breath and stuck to the wall.

Soon, two or so employees who appeared from the entrance met a person walking from the back gate and began to talk.

“It’s as you heard earlier, Vice Manager. Cardinals have come from the Papal States. They say His Holiness, the prospective Pope, is in our inn······.”

“His Holiness, the prospective Pope? Could it be that they have finished the co-option [selection or appointment] and come? Even while the Papal States is completely paralyzed to the lowest departments?”

“That, I don’t know. A little while ago, Manager Zeromin ran out in his pajamas and opened the door.”

“One of them said, ‘Someone with a halo appeared here last night, so it must be the Pope’s preliminary’······.”

“······A halo? Good heavens, that’s it! Come to think of it, that is······.”

‘Ah!’ The elderly manager seemed to be lost in thought, resting her chin on her hand.

The relatively young employees blinked their eyes, unable to understand her words.

I’d probably have a similar expression if I looked in the mirror.

“Well, you’re too young to know? The Pope, who has been chosen by the Main God, wears a golden halo above his head when he releases his power. It’s not a fake that’s only in painters’ paintings. My father also greeted the halo of His Holiness Irene before he died.”

“Wow······!”

“Aha······.”

I see. I nodded my head at the same time as the employees.

If a person has a golden halo above their head, it would be difficult to argue that they are not the Pope.

Since there is no more definite evidence than that, there is no need for the cardinals’ formal vote.

“······.”

“······.”

I was lost in thought, listening to the new information, when I suddenly met the Prince’s eyes.

He was raising the corners of his mouth like someone who had heard a very funny joke. Why are you doing that?

“······Yesuh.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think you should go back to your room?”

“Hmm? I’m okay. I was just nervous earlier, and I’ve done commando training in the military a few times, so I’m used to hanging at this height······.”

Jeong Yesuh, stop for a moment.

‘-Saaa······’

‘「······It won’t be an easy position in many ways. I wish you good luck.」’

‘······Thank you, thank you?’

In an instant, what happened in the pure white interstellar space flashed through my head like a kaleidoscope.

Like a short trailer for some movie.

-Whoosh······

“······.”

“······.”

Maybe.

“······Did I have a halo?”

“It suited you wonderfully.”

“······.”

The Prince was tilting his head and looking at me as if to say, ‘Do you understand now?’

I squeezed the tree trunk that Demi had made with my palms, which had become damp in an instant.

No way.

“······Just a moment. Please give me five seconds to think.”

“As you wish.”

He muttered, stretching his right arm out to the opposite side.

To make matters worse, the voices of the Papal States knights began to echo from the first floor of the inn.

I gritted my teeth and took a breath to somehow save my head, which was on the verge of panic.

So, the situation now, if I summarize it, is that I’m not just being treated like an angel who came down from the sky······.

‘「It won’t be an easy position in many ways.」’

“······Pope?”

Popooooope?

Seriously? Really?

No, really?

“It seems like it took about three seconds.”

“Me? Me? I have to become the head of the Main God Church on the continent? There must be some mistake······.”

“At least that’s what they seem to believe.”

-Clang, clang! Clatter!

There was a loud noise from the Prince’s right side, but I didn’t even recognize him properly.

It was a few seconds later that I felt a sense of crisis because of some noise.

-Bang!

“Hey, Palace Lord! Damn it. Where did this rascal disappear to again?”

“Heok!”

-Squeak!

Damn it, Gongja came out! If I waste time, I’m going to get caught by that person!

-Knock knock knock!

“Yesuh, Your Highness the Prince! Juliet, Your Highness the Palace Lord! I am very sorry and rude to you at this early hour. There is an urgent matter from the Papal States······.”

Then, the sound of an outsider knocking on our living room door was heard.

I was horrified and looked back at the Prince. Why is everything suddenly turning so urgent!

“Crazy, the manager has already come up to our floor!”

“Shall we go in right away?”

“Yes, yes!”

As soon as I nodded my head, the Prince jumped into the open window of the next room without hesitation.

I put my body in after him at a speed that surprised even myself!

-Thud!

-Cough!

-Coo!

“That’s right, you did well! Nice!”

-Clatter, clang!

I managed to lock the window without shaking my hands, even with my heart pounding like crazy, and even successfully praised the divine beasts―

-Grasp!

“······Huh?”

At that moment, someone snatched my waist from behind as easily as a straw.

I stared down at the scarred back of his hand and spaced out for a moment. This is······?

“······You’ve come to the wrong refuge, Palace Lord.”

A very low tone was heard, like scraping the bottom of a bowl to make a sound.

Goosebumps rose all over my body, and my spine turned cold in an instant.

At the same time as I realized who he was―

-Swoosh!

“Aaaagh!”

“Yesuh!”

My body first fell backward.

Long, loose white hair fluttered before my eyes.

-Thud!

“Ugh!”

―And for a while, darkness covered me.