What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 90

#090 He Has a Secret (1)

-Thwack!

I couldn’t immediately grasp what was happening.

I stared blankly at the man blocking my view and his white hair slowly collapsing.

What just happened?

“Ugh······.”

“Sir Haines.”

My voice reacted faster than my brain could process.

With a thud, Sir Johann Haines slumped onto the theater floor.

Instinctively, I grabbed his shoulders and checked him over.

Christel, looking panicked, was quickly approaching us.

The mimicry monster, ‘Esprit,’ was nowhere to be seen.

“Sir Haines, you’re bleeding.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

The side of his white shirt was instantly soaked crimson.

My voice and fingertips trembled slightly.

I immediately closed my eyes and mentally drew the ‘Hemostasis’ [blood-stopping] healing circle I had memorized.

I was worried I wouldn’t succeed at once due to my panic, but I managed it.

I didn’t forget to recite the incantation.

[I declare, the spring of the Patron God will never run dry.]

-Swish······

A blue ether circle appeared.

The circle surrounding me and Sir Haines slowly rotated clockwise, creating sky-blue particles.

The particles busily gathered around Sir Haines’ side.

Christel quickly crouched in front of him.

Her large eyes were filled with shock and guilt.

“What do I do, Teacher? It’s because of me. What do I do? I’m sorry.”

“It’s not the Princess’s fault······. I forgot to mention it.”

Sir Haines leaned back against the seats behind him.

The blood seemed to be stopping, as the stain on his shirt wasn’t getting any bigger.

However, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

“Esprit, it’s the first time I’ve seen it since I was very young, so I forgot it had teeth. I should have been careful when killing it······.”

“What is that? It’s not like an octopus’s beak······.”

Christel frowned, speaking as if she were crying and laughing at the same time.

I gently patted her shoulder. It’s okay. It’s not your fault.

“So, the tooth is stuck in your body now? Is it poisonous?”

I asked as calmly as possible. If so, I could open a ‘Detoxification’ circle.

It was a low-level monster, so the introductory circle I memorized would be enough.

“It’s not poisonous. But, um······.”

He smiled awkwardly. Clear pain was reflected in his mint-colored eyes.

“It’s slowly digging into my flesh. It seems it intends to pierce through me.”

Christel and I opened our mouths slightly.

“Elisabeth. Is Father at the Count’s residence?”

It was Prince Cedrick’s voice that broke the short silence. I hurriedly turned my gaze.

Lady Elisabeth, who had entered the room, stood beside the Prince, assessing the situation.

She spoke to her friend with a resolute look.

“He’s there. Let’s go to our house.”

“Sir Haines, the Mutte County residence is said to be a 5-minute ride from the opera house. It’s much closer than the Imperial Palace. Please hold on a little longer.”

I said as I quickly boarded the carriage. I kept the ‘Hemostasis’ healing circle active.

At first, the bleeding seemed to stop, but the tooth continued to create new wounds as it dug into his body.

Sir Haines, lying in the carriage, was surprisingly quiet, even though the pain must have been severe.

Ganael, who was sitting next to me, handed over a painkiller he had brought as a first-aid remedy.

It wouldn’t be very effective for this kind of injury, but it was better than nothing.

“Ganael, I have to stay here and clean up the scene.”

Lady Elisabeth said, holding onto the carriage door.

Thanks to my oracle [prophetic vision], the front of the theater was fortunately not too chaotic.

However, the work of the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard was not over.

Ganael calmly nodded.

“I’ll explain everything to your family. Don’t worry.”

“Okay, I trust you.”

The young Count interlocked fingers with the boy with one hand and then released.

Then, he bowed to me and Sir Haines and hurriedly closed the door.

As if waiting, the carriage began to move.

I used a small spoon to give Sir Haines the painkiller, then gently lifted his neck and poured water into his mouth.

“It’s a painkiller.”

“It’s still bearable.”

“Not just anyone can become an Archbishop-level Paladin.”

He chuckled at my words. He usually had a slightly tired look, but now he looked completely pale.

I glanced out the window.

The Imperial carriage carrying the Prince was running ahead, and behind it, the Sarnese Duke’s carriage with Benjamin on board could be seen.

A carriage carrying escort personnel was also visible.

“I didn’t know the Mutte County’s husband was a doctor.”

Sir Haines muttered. I nodded in agreement.

In the ‘Toegyeong’ world, it wasn’t just healing priests who practiced medicine.

Like the Imperial physicians, there were ordinary doctors who provided internal and external medicine.

In particular, commoners had difficulty meeting healing priests due to their status and economic problems, so they usually visited general practitioners.

Even if they couldn’t heal the body instantly like priests, they could still make it better.

I quietly looked down at the patient and opened my mouth.

“Thank you, Sir Haines.”

“For what?”

“For saving me. I saw the monster’s tooth flying towards my chest.”

He slightly curved his eyes.

“I just did what I had to do.”

His answer made me frown involuntarily.

‘What he had to do’ meant that he was protecting me at the request of Princess Elysee.

It wasn’t like I didn’t know that until now······.

“Still, I wish you would spare your body to some extent.”

I said. He widened his eyes a little, as if surprised.

In a Western medieval-style world, it must have been honorable for a knight to risk his life to protect someone.

I also knew very well that I would have died if he hadn’t blocked it.

So, saying these words was a serious contradiction.

But I was an ordinary Korean who lived in the 21st century.

Honestly, it was scary and I felt guilty when someone else got hurt and suffered instead of me.

Even if this was a novel.

“I’m not a knight, and I haven’t seen much blood. You can think of me as faint-hearted. I’m not making a foolish request to not protect me. But······. I also hope Sir Haines is healthy.”

I stopped talking there. I don’t even know what this is about. I was upset.

“······As I heard, the Prince,”

-Neigh!

The horse’s cry cut off Sir Haines’ sentence.

Looking out the window, the magnificent Mutte County residence was brightly lit in the darkness of the night.

The carriage slowed down, and the sound of the iron gate opening was heard.

Soon, the procession that had entered the mansion completely stopped moving.

Ganael, who was sitting on the outside, immediately opened the carriage door. One of the County residence’s knights approached.

“What brings the Imperial Family here, Young Master Kalamar?”

“Yes, it’s me. Please tell my father that there’s a patient who needs surgery. His Highness the Prince is in the leading carriage.”

“Ah, I understand. I’ll bring him right away!”

The knight politely bowed and quickly disappeared.

Ganael turned to me and smiled.

I knew he was close to Lady Elisabeth, but now it seems like they’re siblings.

Sir Haines was placed on a stretcher as soon as he got out of the carriage and was immediately taken to the office of Michel Mutte, Lady Elisabeth’s father.

Michel couldn’t greet us directly because of the surgery preparations, but the Prince didn’t seem to mind.

I sighed in relief and received greetings from the County residence’s servants.

Everyone seemed very friendly with Ganael.

“Young Master Yeser?”

At that moment, a familiar voice rang in my ear.

Turning my head, Eva Blanquer, a guest here, was coming out wearing a gown over her pajamas.

Only then did I remember the young lady’s existence. Wow, how could I have been so out of it.

“Eva, have you been well?”

I couldn’t bring myself to ask her to drop the honorifics, so we agreed to call each other by our names.

Eva answered vigorously to my greeting.

“Yes. It’s quiet and nice without my brother. But why isn’t Lady Elisabeth coming, and your party······. Hic!”

Her dark brown eyes widened as if they would pop out.

“Y-Your Highness the Prince! Hello, Duchess Sarnese······.”

The child’s face turned red, and she didn’t know what to do, constantly fidgeting with the sleeves and waist ties of her gown.

She must have seen their faces at the Young Duke’s duel, but she was so shy, it was a wonder she had maintained a poker face that day.

She said she wanted the position of religious consort, and it seemed she had genuinely admired him.

“Hello, Duchess Blanquer. I didn’t get to greet you properly last time. I didn’t know you were at the County residence.”

Christel smiled and accepted the child’s greeting.

I was a little worried because she had shown so much malice towards the Young Duke, but fortunately, she seemed to have no feelings for his sister.

Which was natural, considering Christel’s personality.

“S-Should I change my clothes? I’ll go change.”

“No, you’re going to sleep soon anyway. You look fine as you are. You’re cute.”

Eva’s face turned as red as a burning sweet potato at the protagonist’s words.

The Prince silently headed to the drawing-room. He seemed to be very comfortable, as if he had been here often.

We followed him and sat on the sofa. The servants diligently brought coffee and refreshments.

About 30 minutes passed.

“I think I was too excited. I shouldn’t have just slashed at that thing.”

Christel muttered, staring at her coffee cup.

I gently stopped her from constantly picking at her hangnails. She’ll draw blood.

“Duchess, they said it was a simple surgery, so relax and try some of this. The chestnut stew is delicious.”

When I put two chestnuts and a slice of fraisier [a type of French strawberry cake] on an empty plate, she stabbed the chestnuts with her fork and put them in her mouth in one bite.

Her cheeks puffed up roundly. She must be the type to eat a lot when stressed.

I gave a bitter smile.

I would have felt guilty too.

Even if she didn’t know about the tooth and it wasn’t intentional, someone was hurt by something that happened at my fingertips.

Christel had a lot of affection, so she would be bothered by today’s events in the future.

-Knock knock

“Come in.”

The Prince answered immediately at the knock.

Behind the servant who opened the door, an unfamiliar middle-aged man appeared.

He was a man with short, dark gray hair and deep gray eyes.

The Prince rarely stood up from his seat, so we also stood up. That must be him.

“Lord Michel.”

“Your Highness.”

The two men shook hands.

Lord Michel Mutte bowed slightly, but he seemed to be close to the Prince, as he patted the back of the Prince’s hand with his other hand.

“The surgery went well. I burned the removed tooth right away. Fortunately, there was no organ damage, and the patient is basically healthy, so he will recover quickly.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The Prince replied. Christel and I took a deep breath. That’s a relief.

“If you use your healing power, it’s a wound that will heal in three or four days. Young Master Yeser.”

Lord Michel looked at me with a subtle gaze and greeted me.

I bowed in return and expressed my gratitude. Let’s try to aim for three days.

“Let’s see, my prospective son-in-law is here too.”

Then, Lord Michel reached out behind me. Huh?

“Father.”

Ganael replied. Huh?

“Yes, you seem to have grown taller in the meantime.”

Lord Michel smiled warmly and hugged Ganael once.

He kissed both cheeks, making a smacking sound.

······Huh?

“Are you sure you saw it?”

“······.”

There was no answer from Cedrick. Elisabeth knew that meant yes.

After handing over the theater owner and secretary of the opera house to the Imperial Guard, securing witness statements with the Royal Guard, and finishing the cleanup, it was 12 AM when she returned home.

She didn’t expect that not only the patient Sir Haines, but also Prince Cedrick, Prince Yeser, and Duchess Christel would be staying at the County residence.

It was the first time in a while that she had brought a group of friends home, so it was fun and funny.

The opera opening performance was supposed to be a trivial event, but she wondered how things had gotten so big.

Cedrick, Your Highness, Christel. When these three get together, something always happens.

“How far should we dig?”

“From the time of his birth to the present.”

“What, is it that serious?”

Instead of elaborating, the Prince looked out the window.

A clear moonlight was gently illuminating the County residence.

He clearly remembered the sight he had seen at the theater.

The white tooth that was hit by the Duchess’s sword, and the abnormal trajectory it drew.

The angle of deflection was strange, and the Paladin’s subsequent actions were suspicious.

Why would an Archbishop-level of the Air attribute use his body as a shield?