Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 1.16

Callisto tilted his head, wrapping his small arms around my neck. “What’s wrong? Am I too heavy? Should I get down?” Heavy? Of course, he had been heavy for a while now.

But now that we’d arrived, he finally offered to get down. Did he plan to stay in my arms the entire way? Though he had always been prickly toward me, today he was unusually clingy. Still, his clinginess wasn’t the issue at the moment.

I set him down on the bed, my expression hardening as I scanned the room for the servant bell. But there wasn’t one. My frown deepened.

“Lisa, could you fetch Cliffe from the servant hall?” I called to a passing maid. “Yes, young master.” Callisto looked puzzled by my actions, but I didn’t have time to explain. Soon enough, Cliffe appeared.

“Young master. What brings you to the west wing? This is hardly a place you should visit.” “…Cliffe.” Cliffe had served the Winyates household for generations and was known for his loyalty.

The Earl had entrusted Callisto’s care to him, and in the original story, there were no glaring issues with his character. But I had overlooked something important Cliffe wasn’t a bad person, but he was rigidly devoted to the hierarchy of the Winyates household, to the point of being authoritative and inflexible. To him, a common-born illegitimate child like Callisto wasn’t deserving of the same treatment as the Earl’s legitimate son.

Cliffe didn’t mistreat or despise Callisto out of malice, it was simply what he believed to be proper. But what he considered proper wasn’t acceptable in my world. Regardless of my ulterior motives for staying on Callisto’s good side, I couldn’t allow a child to live in such conditions. “Cliffe, why is Callisto’s room so cold? The walls are letting in drafts, there’s no proper fireplace, and the furniture is in terrible condition.

Was this your doing?” Cliffe’s typically composed expression faltered, a hint of confusion flashing across his wrinkled face.

I continued coldly, “Didn’t my father instruct you to treat Callisto properly? He trusted you to handle this. And yet, this is the result? There’s not even a bell to call for assistance—what is the meaning of this?”

“Young master, Callisto is… merely the Earl’s ward.” “And?” Cliffe hesitated, as though debating whether to say the word “illegitimate.” Perhaps he assumed I wasn’t aware of the full situation. I pressed him further.

“Is this how the Winyates household treats its wards? This setup looks worse than what we provide for the servants.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Or are you implying that Callisto deserves this treatment because he’s illegitimate?”

“Young master!” Cliffe’s face turned pale.

I could feel Callisto’s startled gaze on me, but I didn’t look at him. There wasn’t even a dedicated servant for Callisto, which meant he had been managing everything on his own.

Where I came from, leaving a child alone in such a cold, barren room would be considered neglect. Anger simmered within me as I realized the extent of the situation. I fixed Cliffe with a piercing glare and spoke sharply.

“Arrange a new room for Callisto near my quarters in the east wing. Assign him a dedicated maid as well. Until then, Callisto will stay in my room.”

“Young master, that’s hardly necessary—” “It’s not about necessity, Cliffe. Callisto is my brother. Soon, he’ll formally take on the Winyates name. Treat him accordingly from now on.”

“…Young master.”

“Did you not hear me?”

“…Understood, young master.” Cliffe bowed stiffly and left the room. I turned to Callisto and extended my hand. He stared at me with an unreadable expression in his deep golden eyes. I smiled warmly at him. “Let’s go. The servants will bring your things later.”

Callisto gazed at my hand for a long moment before reaching out and taking it. The warmth of his small hand spread through mine. I grinned. “Want me to carry you again?”

“I’m too grown up for that,” he grumbled. Oh, really? Who was the one clinging to me just moments ago? Still holding my hand, Callisto walked beside me with his short legs working overtime.

I realized that one day, those stubby legs would grow long, and Callisto would tower over me.

The thought of not seeing his cute little self anymore left me feeling a bit wistful. I finally understood, if only a little, how parents felt watching their kids grow up. Feeling sentimental, I spoke softly to the child beside me.

“Take your time growing up, Callisto.” He huffed and replied, “I’m going to grow up fast… And I’m not your brother.”

“Sure, sure.” “I mean it. You don’t know yet, but anyway, I’m not.” I already knew.

Callisto wasn’t my half-brother but a prince.

Still, I had to pretend not to know for now, so I smiled and brushed it off. “Got it, I understand.” Callisto muttered with a sulky face, “I’m going to grow up way faster than that fox guy and be way more of an adult. So don’t tell me to grow up slowly.”

“…”

What could I even say to that? Truly, my little troublemaker never listens.

That night, for the first time, I ended up sharing my bed with Callisto. Until a dedicated maid was assigned to him, Elsie would look after both of us.

After bathing Callisto, she brought him to my room. It was the first time I’d seen him freshly washed since his arrival at the Earl’s manor. Back then, Callisto had been scrawny and small.

He was still tiny now, but His damp black hair clung lightly to his round forehead. His rosy, plump cheeks looked like a freshly bitten apple. I couldn’t help but think of him at the banquet earlier that evening.

Among all the noble children gathered in the hall, Callisto had been the most endearing and graceful little boy. Sitting on the bed, I patted the spot next to me and called out, “Callisto, come here.” Callisto’s eyes widened in surprise.

He glanced around as if unsure, then hesitantly approached me. The little wildcat seemed unusually subdued, almost shy a rare, nearly unprecedented sight. My heart melted instantly.

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