The Male Protagonist is Broke - Chapter 2 (Part 2)

Chapter 2 Part 2 – The Haggard Male Lead drenched in rain

He was fresh from a shower and was feeling comfortable. Perhaps because he felt a little more relaxed due to the warmth in the room, he relaxed his upright posture and tilted his head to the side.

!……!

How was male lead like in the original work?

He was a typical arrogant and cool-headed nobleman. He was a person who was capable and doesn’t feel sorry the incompetent. He was always a man who had dressed himself up in an armed mask.

‘No. That’s wrong. I think something is wrong.’

The Cassis sitting in front of me was completely different. If he had been a debaucher with a debauched smirk, he wouldn’t have been so embarrassed. And he thinks it’s better that way.

Because the person in front of me….

[Doesn’t it seem like something has changed a lot?]

[Isn’t that so? Cassis wasn’t that kind of kid to begin with.]

As always, despite the noisy systems, I quietly took a peek at Cassis.

Was there even a male lead who looked tired?

As a male lead, shouldn’t he be able to fall down and always stand firm as if he has no weakness?

[That’s right, that’s right. You know what it is.]

‘Okay, you know what it is, right?’

[Right then. The truth is, each male lead has his own trauma and weaknesses.]

[So now the female lead has to find out that weakness.]

[Uh huh, the female lead will have to ask the male lead, ‘Why are you having such a hard time?’ You also have to say these lines.]

The systems must have studied romantic fantasies very well. How do you know everything so well?

They became more excited and started talking among themselves.

[That’s right!]
[And while the male lead denies it, the female lead becomes concerned, and so on!]

‘Like what?’

[Falling in love.]

Okay. So, the male lead has everything, but his heart is always empty. The only person our Cassis would show such a defenceless face to is the female lead.

Not to strangers like me and Ijin.

So, naturally, I had no choice but to have questions.

What on earth happened to him?

Something should have happened, if not, I would not have been given this ridiculous quest.

I can’t believe that the male lead, who should be going to the best dress shop on the island with the female lead and say things like ‘From here to there, I’ll pay it in a lump sum cash’, is in front of me in such a shabby manner.

All I saw was that the quest was still being updated.

Tired of waiting, I finally opened my mouth. In cases like this, it’s best to just ask the person involved.

“So, Your Highness. Do you mind if I ask what brought you here?”

“… …”

“Of course, if it’s rude, you don’t have to answer. I’m just asking out of curiosity.”

After a moment of silence, I quickly said it was okay, but Cassis shook his head.

“It’s okay. My destination was Viscount Kaylak’s territory.”

If it’s the Viscount Kaylak, they are next to Sheikh in status.

They are a family with great assets, but their scale is different from that of the Sheikh, who went bankrupt and is on the decline.

But why is Grand Duke Luwin heading to Kaylak?

The Archduke continued to answer that question.

“The debt repayment date is next week.”

Ah. Debt.

F*ck.

I guess it’s the quest.

The male protagonist of this world seems to be in debt.

Why on earth? What happened… …?

“I thought it would be difficult to meet the delivery deadline, so I came down to the south myself.”

How much debt was there, that he couldn’t repay it, and the Archduke had to come all the way to the south himself?

And when it comes to money, why is it that the person who should have the most in the empire in debt?

[ Irina, do you really not know?]

[I told you not to just use information you already know.]

!…… Please say no.’

[Okay, no.]

Tilong-!

[SYSTEM | Details of the main quest ‘Preventing the Fall of the Empire’ hav e been updated!]

The quest was updated with good timing.

As I hurriedly checked the quest, what unfolded was a feast of great excitement.

[SYSTEM | Main Quest ‘Prevent the Fall of the Empire’]

[It was 200 years ago, and a demonic beast first appeared in a place called the border of the world. The Alys Emperor, the ruler of the continent, embarked on a large-scale subjugation of demonic beasts. Although the damage was great at first, the empire eventually won the war against the demonic beasts, managed the demonic beasts well, and entered a golden age. Oh my god! However, the behaviour of the demonic beast over the past 15 years is suspicious. The appearance of a large, powerful demon beast that is incomparably stronger than before! At this rate, the fall of the empire seems imminent!]

Why is this bastard system speaking so brightly?

‘This happened because I changed the plot of the original story… …?’

[It can be seen as being that way.]

I was thinking about what I had done here wanted to cry. I had often touched the original, but I only touched on minor things.

The quest delivery was not over.

[But don’t worry! The hero who will save the empire from destruction, Cassis Dimitriel de la Luwin, master of the Duchy of Luwin and the world’s greatest knight. There is Archduke Luwin!]

I raised my head and checked the man across from me out of the corner of my eye. He was wearing Ijin’s clothes, snuggled into a couch and sipping warm tea.

Okay. Grand Duke Luwin who will save the world.

He is broke because of me.

Sh1t.

[t/n: I am not sure if there is a set female lead in this story already because no name has been mentioned yet, but it seems that Irina is approaching this as “why has the male lead come to show his weakness to random strange side characters like me and not the female lead? Something terrible must have gone wrong.” I got a feeling that the system guys are treating Irina as the female lead but she is oblivious to it.]

Please support Rites of the Ark! 🌼

This currently a one-person project and I would sincerely appreciate any donation or support as that would help me acquire the raws faster and hasten the translation process!

Even if you are unable to financially support me, you can just leave a short comment or encouragement and that will mean a lot to me. 😊

You can choose to support me on https://ko-fi.com/ritesoftheark 🙂

ROTA’s latest updates

We have created a discord channel and WhatsApp for notification updates!!

Click here to the links to join the channel for exclusive timely updates 😚
https://discord.gg/ritesoftheark
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/ritesoftheark