There Are Too Many Second Male Leads!

“I wish I had more agility!”

She chased after the golden eyes glowing in the darkness, but soon lost sight of the shadow. She has been training hard, but she’s still not good enough for this mission. No wonder, her abilities were still below normal human standards.

She stood at the top of the stairs, breathing heavily. The plaza was at her feet, and she hadn’t even realized how far she’d climbed.

[Time limit 16:50]

[Timeout 16:49]

[Time limit 16:48]

The time limit was already cut in half. She stomped her foot in frustration at the red text.

“You could have told me sooner!”

If only She’d seen the mission beforehand, when she had made eye contact, she wouldn’t have hesitated!

Just then, two knights scouting the streets appeared in front of her. Seeing them descending from above, she quickly adjusted her robes and ducked out of the way on the cramped stairs. The knights were too busy talking amongst themselves to pay her any attention.

“Damn, I’m sleepy. I hate it whenever I have to go on a scouting mission.”

“If the imperial family is going to waste manpower like this, shouldn’t they have imposed a curfew in the first place?”

“Waste of manpower. The streets are real at night. Nine out of ten of the people walking around in robes are nobles.”

She shuddered at the knights’ words. Their gazes lingered on hrt black robes for a moment, and then she felt them move away. The knights continued their conversation in awkward tones, as if conscious of her presence.

“Still, if it weren’t for the nobles, how would this market have grown so large so quickly? The gold coins flowing freely, and the size of the market, can’t be attributed to the nobles…… No, it’s because of the nobles!”

“Well, yes, it is.”

…… Wasn’t that enough to expose her?

While she was still distracted by their words, the knights rushed past her and went down the stairs. Once she was out of sight, they continued their conversation as casually as ever.

“There’s a rumor that the Demon King often appears here these days.”

“What? No way. No one’s ever seen his face, and he’s never appeared in public.”

“You know what they say, rumor, rumor.”

The knights’ chatter dies down, and She shook her head in disbelief.

The subject of the Tower State had crossed her mind once when Isabella had explained the power structure to her.

‘So, the power of the temple and the tower are practically equal?’

‘It’s hard to say, actually. People are afraid of the mysterious Matriarch. He hasn’t changed since this country was founded.’

‘Hasn’t changed? I thought the Lumen Empire has been around for over a hundred years.’

‘Of course, he doesn’t officially show his face, so he might have changed somewhere along the way……. The people who worked in the tower said they had an immortal body.’

‘The rumors I’ve heard say that they don’t grow old, which is why I’m afraid of them. Living for so long without dying means that they are not just strong in vitality, but also strong enough that they can’t be killed by anyone, especially if they are a guardian of the Tower.’

‘Some believe it’s possible to poison him, but a Matriarch never shares a meal with others.’

An immortal body.

The creativity of fantasy worlds was endless, and the possibilities were enormous.

[time limit 14:26]

[14:25]

[time limit 14:24]

“Whoa, that’s right, time limit!”

She was about to climb the stairs again when she realized the time was in the air.

A hand suddenly grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the darkness.

“Moo…… up!”

Mute by the force, she could only stomp her feet. She couldn’t even make a sound as she was sucked into the dark alley.

“Huh? This smell…….?

She got up in a hurry, then froze when she realized the hand holding her down had a strong musky smell.

If her senses were right, it was definitely the person she had passed earlier. With all the strength she could muster, she pulled the mysterious hand away from her mouth.

“Who are you……!”

She turned around and gasped at the golden eyes that met her peripheral vision. From the square, they glowed as if they were made of solid gold, but up close, their clear, shimmering golden color reminded her of a vampire.

“Who are you……?”

He had a thin build and a pale face that looked like he could collapse at any moment, not like the man who had pulled her so strongly.

His dark eyebrows, sunken eyes, and sharp nose, along with his dark hair, gave him a striking profile that she’ll never forget, and he looked much younger than he was from a distance.

He could barely have been seventeen at most.

“Who?”

She asked, her voice shaking, as he squeezed her shoulder.

“You’re…… why are you chasing me?”

His voice, low and gruff, burrowed into her ear. He was so close, that she could almost feel his breath on her skin.

She quickly turned her head and took a deep breath. He was still putting pressure on her shoulder, so she pushed against his chest, knowing she had to get away from him.

“Wait, you’re really heavy right now, can you get off of me……!”

Ugh.

When she pushed him, he slumped to the side. She was taken aback but managed to keep her cool, although it was too much for her.

Her legs suddenly buckled under her. His head flopped onto her lap. Frantically, she grabbed him by the neck and shook him.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, why are you so cold?”

She shouted at him. She hadn’t noticed it before when he covered her mouth, but now she felt his body was icy cold, like frozen. Can someone survive at this temperature?

“Hey!”

His eyelids were halfway down. There was no focus in his golden pupils. Panicked, she looked anxiously toward the stairs, but no one was passing by.

‘If I screamed at the top of my lungs, I might give away my identity…….’

It’s bad enough that Clement the Younger’s daughter, who has been sleeping like the dead for a year despite his confinement in the mansion, was out on Rumanian Street at night? .

She felt like she had too many problems to deal with.

After a few seconds of consideration, she decided that she’d better get someone to come and get him. Even if it’s just those knights she passed by earlier……!

That was the end of her thought as she gently placed his head on the ground.

“Ugh!”

Her body seemed to float in the air, and then black smoke covered her mouth. She immediately recognized who it was from the thick scent of black smoke.

She rolled her eyes and stared at the dying man who had lifted her into the air. Before She knew it, she was floating like a hostage in front of him in a wide puff of black smoke.

“Who are you, you.”

‘How can I answer him with my mouth covered?’

The man’s eyes were still wide open, and he barely managed to raise his upper body off the floor with his elbows. His robe slipped slightly, revealing his dark face in full view.

His black hair, golden eyes, and ice-white, cold skin were matched by the black smoke that billowed from his fingertips, making him look like a demon in human form.

“Whatever your purpose, …… you must have been prepared to follow me.”

He snapped his fingers, and the black smoke that had been spreading around his body tightened around her like a rope.

“Ugh, ugh!”

She was helpless to do anything as She remained tied down. She struggled with all the strength she could muster against the unknown force, but unlike when she had easily pried his hand away, now she was unable to move.

Ling!

[Mission accomplished!]

‘Why did it work?’

Her eyes widened as she realized the reward she was about to receive.

As usual, She saw the three golden keys laid out in front of her, side by side. she had chosen the golden keys with her own hands, but now that she was tied up, she couldn’t do anything.

She struggled harder and harder, but the black smoke only imprisoned her tighter and tighter.

She should’ve just gone! She should’ve left him alone, dead or alive!

He still looked like he was dying, panting and sweating profusely, but his golden eyes were alive with a determination not to let go of her.

“You won’t make it out alive after seeing me.”

‘Who are you!’

Her stomach was turning with frustration.

She stared at the reward, thinking, “Let me get my reward first.” Unable to extend her arms, She rolled her eyes, the only thing she was allowed to do, and tried to pick out the golden key.

She tried shooting lasers out of her eyes and screaming at the system to give me a second golden key, but it didn’t respond.

“Surely, this can’t be invalid?” She thought.

At that moment, another notification popped up above the golden key.

[Random reward if not picked up within 10 seconds!]

As soon as She saw the system text, black smoke blocked her vision. A man’s gruff voice came from the darkness.

“Who do you think you’re working for, and how did you know to follow me here? Make it right.”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

First, untie me.

Ten seconds passed quickly, and the system golden key placed the third golden key in front of her.

[Third Golden Key: Telepathy]

The hologram hovered above the black smoke as if it were a system. She checked her reward, and as soon as she saw it, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

“I’m going to use it! I’m going to use it! Now!”

Fortunately, the system seemed to recognize her will and changed.

[Do you want to use ‘telepathy’?]

She shook her head vigorously, and the screen changed again.

[Use ‘Telepathy’ (1-minute time limit)]

As soon as she read the system text, she shouted forcefully at the man, who was invisible beyond the black smoke.

“I’ll answer you when you untie me, you idiot!”

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