What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 920

The Fifth Season (12) (End)

“…As the right-hand man of Admiral Emma Corleone of the Navy, he assisted her in achieving an unprecedented record of invincibility and successfully carried out several imperial intelligence missions with the Crown Prince and Princess Juliet…”

“…As the Crown Prince’s teacher and the Empire’s only Cardinal-level Paladin at the time, he was active throughout the continent and provided the Divine Kingdom with various information and geographical details as my spy…”

“…Assisted the Crown Prince and Princess in faithfully completing their missions. Also, as a combat mage, he achieved outstanding feats of arms, annihilating the enemy several times in major battles…”

Watching my friends kneeling on one knee and listening to His Majesty’s words, I couldn’t help but feel proud, gratified, and boastful, so I had to constantly try not to show it.

Today, Ms. Gain and Sir John were dressed up about ten times more beautifully and neatly than usual, making them look very splendid.

Of course, so was Young Master Dioph…

If he just went around like that, even the children would like him much more than they do now.

An uncle showing off his chest and wearing a gold necklace is still a bit scary.

“…To commend these achievements, I bestow upon you the Grand Order of the Paladin, grant you the title of Marquis of the impeccable Empire, along with a fief, and promise eternal protection.”

Wow, Ms. Gain is finally a Marquis…!

“The territory shall be named ‘Hauteclere,’ which names both the sea you protect and the sea you hold within.”

“Ah…”

“Become a lord as clear as the sea.”

Ms. Gain, deeply moved, raised her head with a sparkle in her eyes, and His Majesty smiled slightly, bestowing the Oath of Durendal [a legendary sword] upon her shoulders.

It was only after hearing the explanation from Natalie that I realized how great and meaningful His Majesty’s decision was.

The fiefdom bestowed upon Ms. Gain was the former Duchy of Sarnese.

“I bestow upon you the Grand Order of the Paladin, grant you the title of Count of the impeccable Empire, along with a fief…”

Next, the title was bestowed upon Sir John.

“The territory shall be named ‘Zephyr,’ which signifies the days when you uphold the winds of the Empire in the west and bestow good governance.”

Sir John’s territory was located in the former Venetian territory.

I could understand why His Majesty entrusted that place to him without even looking at a map.

“…”

So that no more people with the same wounds as him would emerge from that land.

So that children with the same pain as Herrit would no longer have to hide.

Sir John bowed his head to His Majesty with a calm face.

I had no doubt that he would become a great lord.

Lastly…

“I bestow upon you the Grand Order of the Paladin, grant you the title of Count of the impeccable Empire, along with a fief, and promise eternal protection. The territory shall be named ‘Lancelot’.”

“…”

Young Master Dioph accepted His Majesty’s will with a somewhat detached expression.

Our eyes met just as he was about to put on the signet ring.

I clapped my hands, smiled broadly, and waved slightly.

Congratulations, Young Master. That’s really great. It will be good for Princess Marguerite too.

“…”

Then, he frowned and glared at me.

Why? Didn’t he understand properly? I only said good things!

“Next.”

At that moment, His Majesty spoke bluntly, and the audience hall became as silent as if the troublemakers had broken a plate.

I looked at the cherry pieces at the bottom of my cider glass and thought about having another drink…

“Next.”

“Sereniteit.”

-Thud!

“Huh?”

In an instant, the glass with the cherry pieces was snatched away. I was going to scrape them up with a fork later!

I looked at my seatmate with resentful eyes—

“Go down.”

The man whispered menacingly in a low voice.

I needed a moment to think.

“…Me? Me too? Me?”

Are you giving me something too?

“Next. There is no fourth.”

“Gasp! Yes, I’m going!”

Ugh! I almost twisted my ankle while going down the stairs, but thanks to the Crown Prince’s quick catch, I barely managed to save face.

I went down quietly as if nothing had happened and received the medal and title from His Majesty.

My teacher was covering his mouth with his sleeve, and veins were popping out on Chief Secretary Laura’s forehead. I’m sorry…

“Hehehe…”

I thought I could hear Prince Yeser laughing from beyond the side door.

I bit my lip as I looked at him holding a large bouquet and a baby.

My face flushed with embarrassment, but in the end, I smiled like an idiot.

And so did His Majesty!

*

After all the investitures were over, we gathered in a circle in the Imperial Palace garden.

Ms. Gain instructed us to put one foot forward each.

“Duke Sereniteit, please use your right foot, not your left.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. Marquis Hauteclere.”

“Demi, please use your front paw, not your back paw.”

-Kkia, kkuu

Holding the bouquet, I waddled in my ceremonial dress and put out my opposite foot.

Demi also turned his hips and changed his posture.

Then, Ms. Gain held up my phone and moved the camera around.

Francois was mesmerized watching the scene the whole time—should I bring him a spare phone that I don’t use?—and His Majesty grumbled that his legs were too short, but in the end, he stood in the middle of the circle.

The Prince brought Cerise’s feet, wearing adorable socks, as close to the camera as possible.

Meanwhile, Ganael and Elizabeth happily held out their engagement rings.

Then, Ms. Gain looked back at me with shining eyes.

“Duke, what about us? Should we take a signet ring shot together too?”

“Good.”

“Ah, no. There are too many signet rings here.”

‘I don’t want to take a picture with the swallow.’ The expression that turned cold in an instant was so funny that I laughed out loud again.

Then, Count Lancelot Jibril immediately retorted.

“Hey, I don’t want to leave a ring record with the carp either, you know?”

“Marquis, when will this ‘photo shoot’ be over? How much longer do we have to stick together like this?”

“I’ll take it now, Count Nabi. Sorry.”

Ms. Gain, who answered Camille kindly, immediately took a picture of our feet.

-Click, click! Click, click, click!

“Ha, that’s it. I probably took at least one without shaking my hand. Now, let’s take a selfie in the Imperial Palace.”

I chuckled again at her joke.

This time, the camera went high into the sky, and Cornelisse blinked and shifted his gaze to follow the lens.

Passing servants and nobles looked at us and whispered.

Hmm…. I suddenly thought.

There’s a better place to take group photos than here.

“…Um, shall we all go on a picnic together?”

“Huh? A picnic?”

Joan, who was testing various facial angles while looking at the camera, Cedric, who had ‘I want to stop doing this crap’ written on his forehead, and Sir John, who had draped a Paladin cloak over Herrit, all looked back at me.

I smiled brightly and nodded.

*

Jung Hyun-seo looked at me like I was crazy.

“So, you decided to go on a picnic tomorrow? To the mountain behind Princess Juliet’s palace?”

“Yeah!”

“You came back home on Saturday night to pack for a picnic on Sunday?”

“Uh-huh!”

“Do you know it’s almost twelve o’clock? No, it just turned twelve!”

“Private First Class Ye Seo!”

I quickly nodded and walked into my room.

Meanwhile, Cedric, holding Tete, sat on the ‘head seat’ of our living room sofa with a very confident attitude (Herrit and Ddukssim were also sitting close to him).

Demi, Leah, and Perry had already started playing tag in the middle of the living room, and Ropi had already climbed onto the kimchi refrigerator.

Ms. Gain cautiously glanced at Jung Hyun-seo but opened the refrigerator door without hesitation.

Hyung [older brother] tried to point it out, but only opened and closed his mouth.

Eunseo, who had become completely accustomed to her friends’ visits, was going into her room to get her phone.

“Selfies. I have to take a hundred selfies with the troublemakers…”

“…What, what do you need? Tell me, and I’ll pack it for you.”

“You’re the only one for me, Hyung. Thank you. I love you.”

“Shut up.”

Jung Hyun-seo closed and opened his eyes tightly as if he had heard the most miserable words in the world.

That was so funny that I almost sobbed with laughter.

“Hyung, where are the tripod and selfie stick? I’m going on a picnic with my friends and taking pictures.”

“They’re in the living room TV stand. Do you even know what day it is tomorrow, no, today?”

“Today? Sunday?”

As I opened the drawer and asked back, Hyung received a glass of water from Sir John and nodded his chin.

The two of them really work well together.

“Mom and Aunt are moving in the week after next… Our summer vacation is at the end of July… It’s still the end of June now. What is it?”

I don’t have any plans other than with my friends today. Ah, I found it. Tripod and selfie stick!

“It’s the last day of the contest.”

“…Huh?”

…What’s the last day of?

“The fanfic you’re posting. Your story. The ‘Greatest Fanfiction Contest’ is until today. The judging period starts tomorrow.”

“Ah…! That’s right!”

I felt like electricity was running through my body!

My friends, seeing me jump up, also focused on the conversation.

“Then, then should I say thank you for something? Should I say thank you for reading so far? That I’m happy to have met my friends and spend time with them thanks to you…”

“Do you think they’ll believe that? You guys are just…”

Hyung, who had quickly finished his ice water, looked around at us and smirked.

“…Just keep doing well in the future.”

‘Because those are the people who want that, so do your best,’ He added casually.

I quickly nodded my head.

“Yeah. We’re really good at that.”

“If only you could keep your mouth shut.”

“Ah, here we go again!”

At that time, Eunseo, holding her phone, suddenly collapsed on the living room floor.

We were surprised and looked back at the little one.

“Jeongeun, why?”

“My phone… I wanted to take selfies with the kids, but it’s frozen again…”

“Again? How long has it been since you bought it? Did you drop it somewhere?”

Eunseo’s phone is from a different manufacturer than mine, so it’s not easy to handle, but I looked at the screen with her, wanting to help her.

Then, the youngest one started whining with a grimace.

“No, that time… The day I threw my phone over ‘Arojeong’ [a specific location, likely a landmark], you know? By mistake. I think it got a little messed up then. It’s not all the time, but sometimes I can’t press anything at all.”

“Oh dear.”

“Look at this. This file app…”

-Tok!

Oh, it’s pressed…!”

“…Huh?”

However, Eunseo’s expression was unusual after checking the screen.

She suddenly raised her upper body and started gaping like a goldfish.

“Why?”

“Eunseo, why? Did you get hacked?”

“Oppa [older brother], here, here… File… A file I’ve never seen before on my phone…”

“What?”

…A very strange feeling tingled up my spine.

I hurriedly looked into my youngest sibling’s phone.

Almost at the same time, Jung Hyun-seo, Ms. Gain, Cedric and John, Herrit and the Divine Beasts all gathered in front of the screen.

‘I Quit and Became a Princess from Another World_What If.hwp’

“…”

“…”

“…”

For a few seconds, no words flowed between us.

We couldn’t dare to because of the thrill that surged like a tsunami.

Ms. Gain was holding her mouth with one hand and widening her eyes.

The first thing that came out of my mouth was a sound closer to laughter than language.

“Haa, it’s there…”

“…”

…That place is still there.

“Hyung, Dongsan worldline… Dongsan is still there. I don’t know how, but it’s on Eunseo’s phone, through Eunseo’s phone…”

-Bolt!

Oh my gosh! I was startled and flipped over because of my brother who suddenly shot up.

Jeong Eunseo, who was standing tall, was now flashing a terrifying light in her eyes like someone who had nothing to fear.

What is it? What’s wrong with her?

“Upload this too.”

“…Pardon?”

“Upload this to the contest. Today is the last day, right? It’s not over yet.”

“…Pardon? Pardon?”

I threw out question marks three times like the world’s biggest idiot, and in the meantime, Eunseo strode towards her room.

By the time Hyung and my friends started bursting into hearty laughter, I couldn’t contain my relief and happiness either.

“Wait a minute, Eunseo.”

“Trust me. No, trust the Main God!”

“Calm down, calm down first…”

“I’m a piece of Large, even like this!”

-Kkiat!

No, but let’s check the file among ourselves first…!

“If I upload this, the Dongsan kids will survive too! I’m serious! I feel a sacred feeling!”

Hahaha. I burst into a long laugh at the back of my sister’s head.

I really can’t stop her.

“Jeong Eunseo!”

, The End.