Rejected by Daughter’s Second Male Lead Chapter 102

“They’re saying a prophecy really did come down from the god Retina. They said a new High Priest will appear.”

“What, what?”

This kind of thing never happened in the original novel. Even the whole ‘divine revelation’ thing was just something he’d said on the fly because he thought it would work well on Marius. But a real prophecy had come down?

“So now they’re in an uproar searching for Marius, and they’re saying they need to dispatch priests all over the country to find the new High Priest… Everyone’s in a frenzy.”

“A new High Priest… Surely it’s not referring to you, is it?”

Having heard Marius drone on and on about a successor, a sudden wave of anxiety hit him. However, Yuan scoffed.

“Do I look like someone who would become the High Priest just because they told me to? Besides, I don’t even have divine power.”

“Ah…”

Right, of course. That was why Marius had been so desperate. Gillen was inwardly relieved.

“Just wait here for a moment. I’ll bring the Imperial Security Force within a minute.”

Before Gillen could even answer, Yuan disappeared with teleportation. Gillen called out “Yuan!” to the empty air, then awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

‘I’m starting to feel anxious whenever I’m separated from Yuan now…’

It was probably because problems kept arising so often. Gillen calmed his needlessly fluttering heart. He decided to think about the new prophecy.

It did not seem like much time had passed since the new prophecy came down, and it was likely not unrelated to Gillen’s actions. Was it a prophecy to fill the vacancy, knowing that Marius would be handed over to the Imperial Security Force? Or did the god Retina have other ulterior motives? In the first place, what were the gods of this world? He had thought the god Retina was the author of the original novel, but in that case, was the author seeing Gillen’s new movements and changing the story on the fly?

But if the god Retina really was the author of the original novel… he would have thought it was strange from the very beginning when Gillen was kind to Cecilia, sent one of the secondary male leads abroad, and stopped visiting the temple, and he would have tried to forcibly change the story.

Besides, the original work had already concluded as both a web novel and a webtoon. And unlike the original, which was rated 15+, this world was rated 19+ with the existence of the omegaverse.

Therefore, it was more accurate to see this world as one based on the original, but one that had become a world of another dimension with Gillen’s transmigration 20 years ago. It was a world that had become not A, but A′.

Thinking this way, the god Retina was a real, existing god. An independent and unique being. It could be seen that He had observed how the human world was turning and had just now made a new decision and issued a prophecy.

‘I influenced the will of a god.’

Just as he had changed the world of the original novel, Gillen had also changed a god’s mind. If his reasoning was correct, then the future would now truly flow independently.

Just then, the empty space in front of him turned dark. Yuan had teleported with the Imperial Security Force. The security chief, whose face Gillen also knew well, flinched and looked around, then made eye contact with Gillen and hastily bowed.

“Greetings to His Grace, Duke Blake!”

At the security chief’s greeting, the five or six Imperial Security Force soldiers standing behind him also hurriedly bowed.

“It’s been a while, Security Chief. I assume you heard a rough explanation from Yuan?”

“Ah… Yes! I was told that the suspect, Marius, is already confined in the Divine Prison. We plan to station security officers at the Divine Prison and report this incident to His Majesty the Emperor to proceed according to imperial law.”

“Good. The entrance to the Divine Prison is over there, and Marius is locked in room 444. He’s tied up and his divine power has been sealed, but don’t let your guard down.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

The security chief replied respectfully, then descended into the underground with his subordinates.

Gillen approached Yuan.

“We should find our companions and return to the capital. Using a teleportation station.”

In a situation like this, they could not afford to take their sweet time walking. Yuan nodded as well.

“Let’s you and I go home first by teleportation, and tell the others to come via the station.”

“Yes, that wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Yuan naturally held out his hand. Gillen hesitated before taking it. He felt that since they were still in the middle of their trip, it was right to continue acting like a couple.

‘As soon as this trip is over, I have to draw a line.’

If Gillen did not hold his ground, this relationship would surely cross the line precariously. Yuan already liked Gillen, and Gillen also felt an attraction to Yuan. If these feelings were to develop further, they would surely become love.

Love…

Gillen recalled Marius, who had gazed only at Yuan until the very end, wishing for him to return. Could what he did be love? Could something like that be called love?

In Gillen’s view, it was not, but to Marius, it must have been the love of his lifetime. He must have believed it was a romantic love, different from his religious love for Retina. Which would have made it all the more special.

What if my feelings are like that too? What if this is all just a trick of pheromones, making me mistake it for love? What if it is, in fact… just base desire?

Suddenly, everything was confusing. After seeing Marius, he also thought that the difference between love and desire was unclear. In this strange and hazy boundary, what was truly important?

He sincerely cherished Yuan. His purity, his beauty, and even his flaws now all felt charming. But at the same time, Gillen felt a sense of ridiculousness and guilt toward himself. Was not the very fact that he desired such a charming young man a form of violence? The sentence still worked even if you replaced ‘desire’ with ‘love’.

Gillen’s face gradually darkened. His footsteps, as he walked toward the inner part of the temple holding Yuan’s hand, were also incredibly heavy.

“Hah… You certainly got the job done.”

The emperor let out a dry laugh as he put down the imperial newspaper. The paper he had just been reading featured an article that passionately expounded on how Yuan and Gillen had uncovered the evil deeds of Marius, the ‘former’ High Priest, and brought down the hammer of justice, along with how much of a fated pair they were.

Not only that, but there were countless articles speculating on what their wedding would be like, the impact their journey had on the empire’s tourism industry, the misunderstandings about Duke Blake, and explaining the achievements the Blake family had accomplished for generations.

They had not simply cleared the Blake family’s sullied name, but had also gained a righteous image and fervent popularity.

“No matter when I see you, you are truly remarkable, Duke Blake.”

“Hahaha! You praise me too highly. It was Marquess Hampton who worked harder than I.”

Gillen put on a social smile. He could feel the attendants, maids, and knights standing around the emperor looking at Gillen and Yuan with favorable eyes. The two were certainly the most beloved and talked-about couple in the empire right now.

“With this, I should be able to easily strike down the nobles who attack you. Their central figure was the former High Priest Marius, and now that even he has been ousted, the opposing faction will quickly fall apart.”

The emperor marveled once more.

“Did you perhaps intend for all of this when you left?”

“Of course not.”

Gillen denied with a smile, but Yuan, standing next to him, said haughtily.

“I intended it. I knew it would turn out this way from the beginning. If there wasn’t this much to gain, I would never have done something as troublesome as a cross-country trip.”

Oh, for crying out loud, you punk. Gillen clenched his jaw. It was a time when he should have been bowing his head before the emperor and showing humility, but Yuan was not just boasting, he was bluffing.

“Hoho, how could two people so different fall into such a fiery love?”

“It is said that opposites attract more. One can tell just by looking at His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Cecilia.”

Yuan replied coldly. He seemed to have interpreted the emperor’s words as something like, ‘How on earth are you two, who don’t match at all, dating?’ So he, in turn, had given the example, ‘It’s just like how your stupid son and the intelligent Cecilia are dating.’

Gillen, who alone understood the meaning behind Yuan’s words, broke into a cold sweat and took a step forward.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! This fellow Yuan has always been a supporter of the relationship between His Highness the Crown Prince and my daughter, Your Majesty. As am I.”

“Yes, there is certainly something unusual between those two. You wouldn’t believe how often they met while you two were away on your trip. Hoho.”

Fortunately, the emperor, perhaps because he was not used to Yuan’s way of speaking—or perhaps because he could not even imagine that Yuan would be sarcastic toward him—let it pass without much thought.

“In any case, I now have a justification to side with you in the welfare-related budget meetings, so I will be sure to give you my full support.”

The emperor promised generously. Gillen was genuinely moved and bowed his head.

“I am only grateful for your wisdom and grace, Your Majesty the Emperor. I will never disappoint you.”

“Good. A decision on the level of punishment for the former High Priest Marius will also be made soon. Oh, Marquess Hampton, have you completed the Security Force’s investigation?”

Yuan’s testimony as the victim was crucial. So after returning to the capital, he had been in and out of the Imperial Security Force headquarters countless times.

“Yes. I have given all the testimony I can… However, there is something I wish to earnestly request of Your Majesty.”

“Hoh, of me? Very well. Speak.”

“I would like you to have everyone withdraw. I wish to have a private audience with Your Majesty the Emperor.”

“Hoho, a private audience?”

That meant he was asking Gillen to leave as well. Gillen looked at Yuan as if surprised, but Yuan only gave him a rude look that said, ‘So what? What are you going to do about it?’ In the end, the emperor granted Yuan’s request, and Gillen had to leave the audience chamber with the others.

And once only the two of them were left in the audience chamber, Yuan straightened his back and looked directly up at the emperor.

“What is it you wish to ask of me?”

“I would like you to tell me which noble families sided with Marius and attacked Gillen, no, His Grace Duke Blake.”