What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 895

#895 Faith, Belief, Balance?! (8)

After my declaration of a two-day work week was somehow accepted, I was busier than ever.

I diligently went around the lodging, doing everything I could.

It’s a well-known fact that a ‘happy ending’ isn’t just handed out for free.

You need a bit of luck and a lot of hard work from everyone.

Since I don’t know what might happen while I’m away, we need to be well-prepared to maintain our happiness.

I quickly got up and straightened my clothes.

Then, the priests of the Imperial Army who were guarding me rose to their feet.

I felt a little awkward because they all seemed to treat me with much more deference than before.

Or is it because Gibreel Diop, who came as my escort, looked like he had bitten a rock while eating [looked extremely displeased]?

“Then… Ms. Anpetta, I’ll see you again soon. Take good care of yourself. Listen to the priests.”

“Yes, I will. I should.”

‘Thank you, angel.’ The old woman, leaning against the head of the bed, nodded as she looked at me.

I was relieved that her mind and body seemed more stable than when I saw her at dawn.

The alchemist Granny Anpetta was the first person I asked to meet as soon as I arrived here.

Whatever the circumstances, it was thanks to the holy water remaining in the old woman’s body that I was able to return.

Anpetta being a criminal didn’t change that. If something had happened to her, I would have suffered tremendous guilt.

“I heard you have a talent for magic.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. Yes. That handsome priest over there said so too. He said alchemy was a bust, a bust. He told me never to go near gold dust again.”

The old woman smacked her lips and said cheerfully. The priests affirmed with quiet laughter.

According to the Imperial Army priests stationed in Gigolt, Anpetta’s vessel was in a state of great shock, but there were no cracks or flaws.

They also said that there was no external ether left in the vessel, and that there were no signs of divine sickness.

Since the patient is quite old, it will take time for her to fully recover, but if she rests and eats well for the time being, there will be no major problems in her daily life.

I turned to her with a smile.

“Then you can study magic and help the residents of Gigolt Village, once you recover and can move around.”

“…Residents… Ah. Will the villagers want to see me again? Huh?”

The old woman’s face was blank as she asked.

No, if you look closely, Anpetta’s expression was covered with a thick layer of fear.

I had heard about her life in a few short lines from Ms. Gain before.

The divine sickness passed down through the Gigolt family, and the holy water. A life of seclusion in pain, not even knowing the reason.

Her family who left her alone and passed away. The alchemist’s decades of bizarre behavior to regain her blood relatives, and the resulting damage to the residents.

A tragedy.

“…No, maybe they won’t like it. They may still want to drive you out. And that’s not their fault or misjudgment. It’s a natural reaction given what they’ve been through.”

“…”

“However, the Imperial Army has conveyed your situation to the village representative. Even a criminal needs a defense.”

Anpetta waited with tired eyes for the next sentence, which felt like a punishment. I continued slowly.

“So some… a few who have learned about your life will surely want to give you a second chance. There are such people everywhere.”

People who want to see the better side of someone. People who prioritize compassion over hatred.

People who are happy to live in a village that isn’t perfect, but where everyone gets along.

“If such an opportunity comes, don’t miss the chance to atone.”

“…”

The old eyes widened.

“This time, use your abilities for good, like you helped my friends.”

“…”

“This time, it’s a ‘real’ life, isn’t it?”

A real life, not a hundred and fifty years of torture where you can’t even die even if you want to.

A time with an ending and a farewell.

I smiled brightly, greeted the priests, and left the room.

I don’t know what Anpetta’s expression was like when I last saw her…

Well. I don’t know.

-Step, step, step…

“Our Princess Consort is so full of nagging [always giving instructions].”

“You know, I came up with something to do after going home.”

Suddenly, I stopped walking down the hallway and looked up at Prince Diop.

He smirked and tilted his head.

Beyond the man’s shoulder, a white daytime moon hung in the sky.

“There are plenty of things to do. Set up an agent in your territory. You’ll be getting a medal soon enough—”

“There are too many children with divine sickness on the continent. I want to help those children.”

“…”

“I haven’t thought deeply about the position of Pope yet, but if I have to take it, I want to do something like that. If I could get permission from His Majesty Frederick to get some seedlings of sun halo grass grown in the Imperial Palace greenhouse… I think I could grow them in large quantities even in the desert. I should get advice from Michelle Moutet, the botanist, and continue large-scale promotion and education for the people of the neutral zone and Venetian. There are many priests who are better than me at that, so send them to various places…”

Right, dispatch. That’s what the Vatican used to do!

I rested my chin on my hand and suddenly fell into thought. That’s right, send priests all over the continent.

In addition, if we launch a large-scale self-diagnosis campaign for divine sickness, we can find children who are sick without knowing why at a young age more quickly…

“Hey.”

“This would be more effective if linked to marketing. I should contact the Rambouillet Caravan…”

“You’ve gone to the moon again [daydreaming]. Hey, Princess Consort.”

“If His Majesty supports that… Yes?”

“Is someone chasing you?”

“…”

I blinked and barely snapped out of my thoughts.

The Prince, whose eyes met mine, was smiling as if he had seen something interesting.

“You have plenty of time. Once the trial is over, you’ll have nothing but time on your hands.”

“…”

“Take your time. Don’t your brilliant friends have opinions too?”

“Yes, I will. You’re right, Prince.”

‘You have plenty of time.’ How sweet those words sounded.

I smiled broadly and took out my phone from my bag.

I need to write down what I just thought of so I don’t forget. And later, I’ll ask Gain and Cedric for their opinions.

I have so much to ask Sir Johan!

“Oh, Prince, is your hand okay? I heard you were burned because of the Crown Prince…”

“Ha, you’re quick to ask.”

“So, is it okay?”

I quickly tried to examine his palm, but the man, like an 8th-grade combat mage, raised both hands with a speed that couldn’t be seen!

This guy is doing this again!

“I know you were treated by a healing priest. I’m just going to look.”

“I don’t want to? Why should I expose a part of my body to you?”

“What are you talking about? Don’t say strange things on purpose!”

“What’s strange about it? Isn’t it your head that’s hearing it strangely that’s lewd?”

“Hey, I’m telling you nicely, give me your hand!”

-Whoosh!

Ugh! Once again, I was blocked by the height difference. How childish…!

“Fine. I’ll ask Ms. Gain. No, I’ll just go back and ask the priests I met earlier.”

“You said you were going home. So when are you going to ‘go to work’?”

“…”

…Really annoying. I’ll let it go because you charged my phone.

I glared at the man’s amethyst earrings and strode ahead of him.

By the time I got out to the hallway overlooking the courtyard, the magician’s low laughter was trailing behind me.

The desert spring breeze gently touched the fountain and flowerpots.

*

And several hours later,

Currently.

My friends and I were back outside Gigolt Village.

-Whooooosh…

“Wow… It’s so high.”

-Squeak…

“Herit, Demi, let’s step back a little. Bark might fall from above.”

“Yes, Princess Consort!”

The boy answered brightly and held my hand.

I had to make every effort not to hold my throbbing heart every time Herit spoke.

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one being such a sentimental fool, as Ms. Gain and Ghanael next to me also had expressions that showed they were overwhelmed (during the day, Benjamin even shed tears into his handkerchief after hearing Herit’s voice for the first time).

Of course, the happiest person among us was undoubtedly Sir Johan Haines.

He gave his son, who was looking up at him with sparkling eyes, a handsome smile, then looked up at the sky again.

We followed him and raised our eyes high.

-Wheeeee…

-Oooooooo…

-Kioooo…

A giant aura resembling a spiral galaxy was slowly rotating at the top of the evening sky.

It was emitting golden light in all directions from time to time, looking like it was saying, ‘I am the power of the Holy Relic.’

The divine beasts also couldn’t take their eyes off this spectacle, as if they were seeing it for the first time.

In particular, Tete, who was held in the prince’s arms, was drooling and staring blankly.

And right below, the one firmly fixing the dimensional door opened in the center of the Celestial Palace was…

-Hello, Little Moon and friends!

“Hello, Spirit.”

It was our Spirit. I smiled brightly and met the eyes of the divine object.

Then, the Spirit returned a smile as bright as a spring day…

-Crack, creak, tick tock…!

-Look at this. Thanks to you, the little seed has grown this much.”

“…Wow!”

It proudly showed us that it had already taken the form of a proper ‘fruit’.

-Saaaa…

Although we couldn’t observe it up close, we could tell at a glance that the fruit was growing healthily.

It was as red as a ruby and sparkled like a carefully crafted ruby, and even had fresh green leaves dangling at the end.

‘Wow, it’s getting so much better overnight. It’s so luscious and pretty!’ Ms. Gain exclaimed with wide eyes.

Before I could say anything, I turned around first.

“…”

“…”

Prince Yeser and Cornelise were staring blankly at the fruit.

“…I’m glad, Brother. Right.”

“Yeah.”

“Our sister is like the biggest fruit in the world. It’s the boss fruit!”

“Hahaha, that’s right. It’s the boss fruit.”

“Sister didn’t like fruit very much, but she became the boss fruit.”

‘Hehehe. What should I do.’ The young princess giggled even as she shed tears, and Iseol, who was wiping the child’s tears with her thumb, was also smiling.

As soon as I slowly raised my eyes, my eyes met the prince’s.

“…”

“…”

He also had a faint smile on his lips.

“Goodbye, Yeser.”

I’m glad. I’m so glad you can smile even a little.

“…Yes, I’ll be back. I’ll stop by if I have time in between.”

…I’m really glad that things seem to be getting better even little by little.

I kissed my precious ones one last time, and told them to call the pigeons in the royal capital and send me a letter if anything happened.

My friends will also have to constantly contact both the Imperial Palace and the royal capital, so they will definitely be as busy as me going to work.

“…By the way, the Crown Prince really isn’t here.”

I glanced at the direction of Gigolt Village for no reason.

Even Charlemagne came out to see me off, but Cedric Liesterman wasn’t here.

“Oh, don’t even mention it. He’s been acting busy all day, it’s legendary… But there’s a memorial service for the fallen soldiers in the Imperial Capital soon, so he’s really busy. There are a lot of portals popping up in between, so I’m getting contacted incredibly quickly.”

“…The memorial service is important. I understand.”

I nodded and held Ms. Gain’s hand, shaking it a few times as she moved.

But this time, I was able to let go without much effort.

“I’ll be back soon, Ms. Gain. Please write me a letter if anything happens!”

“Of course!”

“Hahaha.”

Of course, I’ll be back.

-Flutter, flutter!

“Take care of your meals!”

-Beep!

-See you again, Little Moon!

-Saaaaa!

Receiving the Spirit’s kind farewell for the last time, I flew to the very top of the high sky.

*

-Wow, amazing!

-Thud!

“Yes! I’m back!”

It’s my house’s veranda, how did this happen? It’s so comfortable!

I stood up with a big smile…

“Uh…? Wait a minute. This doesn’t open from the outside.”

I realized that I was trapped on the living room veranda. Where did Jeong Hyunseo go?

It was then.

“…A terribly crude bonsai.”

“Aaaaaaack!”

Aaaaaaack!