Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 2.11

Then, I heard the voices of a young man and woman, talking from a distance.

“Wow, Susan. This is really beautiful. How did you make something like this?”

“It’s nothing special… I carved it from wood, but it’s not that great.”

“What do you mean it’s not great? It looks like a chandelier. How could it be more beautiful than this?”

“If it were clear and sparkly, it’d be even better. I want to try carving it with ice.”

“What? Ice? How would you carve with such expensive ice?”

“Well…”

The man laughed as though he had heard an amusing joke, but the woman, named Susan, looked a little down. In her hand, she held an elegant wooden sculpture that looked like a chandelier. It was so beautifully crafted, it could easily decorate a palace hall if it were made of glass.

‘Wait, chandelier sculpture…?’

At that moment, the name of a famous glass sculptor from the later parts of the original story came to mind. About 15 years from now, this sculptor would make a huge impact by creating stunning glass sculptures using a new technique. I widened my eyes in realization.

‘Could she be… Susan McAdams?’

That thought sparked a new business idea in my mind.

In the original story, the author, H, loved to detail side stories that weren’t directly related to the main plot. One such story was about the crystal glass sculpting industry that emerged in the later parts of the story.

“I really don’t think readers care how crystal glass is made. How does this relate to Callisto or Lawrence?”

If I had sighed about that, the author would have responded,

“But I wanted to write about it! That’s why I’m writing The Prince’s Sword!”

And slam their fist on the table.

It was a good thing I hadn’t stopped H from writing that part. In the end, the story had detailed not just the crystal glass but also the evolution of industries and trends during that period.

I smiled to myself, then, after the man had left and Susan was alone, I made my way over to her.

“Hyung, where are you going?”

Callisto hugged my waist and quickly followed. Lawrence, looking displeased, also walked up to me with a sigh. Lately, the two seemed to be sticking together more. It was a relief that they were slowly returning to the original plot, despite the changes.

“I’m going to ask her something.”

I pointed to Susan, who was fiddling with the wooden chandelier, and Callisto’s expression suddenly changed. His pale cheeks flushed. He seemed upset again, but after I patted his rice cake-like cheek, his mood lightened. He grabbed my hand and asked.

“Why? Who is she?”

“Huh?”

“Etienne seems to have a lot of people he’s interested in…”

This time, it wasn’t Callisto but Lawrence who spoke up with a sarcastic tone. Callisto nodded and whispered to Lawrence.

“I really can’t live with this.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“…”

I had no idea what they were talking about, but I couldn’t stop laughing at the little ones’ antics.

I gave each of them a hand and walked toward Susan, who was eyeing me curiously.

I tried to keep a completely innocent expression as I smiled brightly. She covered her mouth with her hand and widened her eyes.

“Oh my, how lovely… Who are you, young master?”

“I’m Etienne Wynyeats.”

“Oh my, Young Master Wynyeats?”

“Yes. And you?”

“I’m Susan…”

“I’m Callisto!”

Before Susan could finish, Callisto interrupted. Susan’s eyes grew even wider. Naturally, this was her first time meeting Callisto. Though Callisto was adorable when he first came to the Wynyeats estate, he had grown so cute recently, like a little angel.

I proudly introduced him.

“Callisto is my younger brother.”

“We’re not real siblings!”

Callisto suddenly cried out.

It was no surprise that Callisto kept insisting he wasn’t my real brother. However, I was worried that if he kept emphasizing it in front of others, especially noble families aligned with the Empress, it could spread. Fortunately, Susan didn’t seem to mind, likely because she thought it was just a child’s words. I would have to talk to Callisto about it later.

But for now, the chandelier mattered more. I casually pointed at the wooden chandelier in Susan’s hands, acting nonchalantly.

“Wow, what’s this? It’s really beautiful!”

“…Hyung? Why does your voice sound like that?”

“Etienne, are you sick?”

“…”

Maybe I was overacting.

Fortunately, Susan didn’t seem to notice my awkward reaction. She bent down on one knee and handed me the sculpture.

“Do you like it? Would you like to have it, Young Master?”

“Really? Wow, I’m so happy!”

The awkwardness in my voice made my ears burn. But Susan was still looking at us with admiration, completely unfazed. I was glad I had enchanted her with Callisto’s face first.

Ignoring the confused looks from Callisto and Lawrence, I cleared my throat and asked Susan.

“Can you make this much bigger?”

“How much bigger?”

“Uh… about this big?”

I spread my arms wide.

Fifteen years from now, Susan would definitely be able to carve such a chandelier, but I didn’t know if she could do it now. Trying to hide my nervousness, I looked up at her, and she tilted her head slightly, then smiled lightly.

“I can do that. Making it bigger isn’t hard. Would you like it, Young Master?”

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued.

“Yes, I really want it!”

“Hyung, I’ll make it for you!”

Callisto, who quickly interrupted again, was hugged tightly, and I covered his mouth. Callisto squirmed for a moment, burying his face in my chest, then calmed down, wrapping his little arms around my waist.

“But if the chandelier is clear and sparkly, it’ll be even more beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like that at the palace!”

At my words, Susan’s eyes sparkled. Of course, I had never been to the palace.

“Right? I also want to try making it clear, like ice sculptures…”

“Glass?”

Susan’s eyes widened in surprise. She glanced between the wooden pieces and me, then responded with a sulking tone.

“But glass is too fragile and can easily break. It’s impossible to make such delicate carvings with it, my lord. Even the Eastern Continent doesn’t have such techniques.”

The Eastern Continent was known for its glasswork, having monopolized the technique of glass production for a long time. Therefore, glass products were one of the most important items in Eastern Continent trade.

This was true until 15 years later when Susan McAdams invented strong and beautiful crystal glass, gaining fame as a master glassworker.

According to the original story, by that time, the Winnyates family had already fallen, and this region had become the possession of the Kamois family. Kamois then imprisoned Susan, a subject of his domain, in a glass workshop.

Susan was forbidden to leave the domain forever and became Kamois’s source of labor, producing crystal glass products without pay. All the halls in the imperial palace and noble mansions were decorated with Susan’s work, but she lived like a slave to Kamois.

With the tragic fates of the characters in the original work, “The Prince’s Sword” was certainly a story of despair.

“My tastes are… problematic. If I were to be reborn, I would only want to see happy endings…”

While I awkwardly reflected, Susan looked deep in thought. She hadn’t yet found a way to create the pieces, but she would surely figure it out. After all, she had always found a way herself.

I cautiously spoke, watching her expression.

“Maybe if you mix something into the glass production, it could be strengthened?”

“Mix something in?”

“I once overheard my father talking to some craftsmen… something like lead? If that’s added, the glass becomes solid and incredibly transparent.”

My father didn’t know any glassworkers. But Susan didn’t need to know that.

Susan muttered as though in a trance.

“Lead…?”

“Yes. It was something like lead oxide.”

Lead oxide glass is solid and heavy, with a clear and transparent quality that makes it shine beautifully. With her exceptional skill, Susan cut and crafted the crystal glass into a large and magnificent crystal chandelier.

As expected, Susan’s expression brightened.

“My goodness, my lord. That’s a great idea! I will have to work on the materials and adjust the proportions, but it should be possible!”

“Really? I would love to see it! Can you decorate the ceiling of the hall in the mansion with it?”

“Oh my… The Winnyates mansion? Do you think the Count will allow it?”

“Of course! If it looks this beautiful even when carved from wood, imagine how stunning a large chandelier would look, sparkling transparently. I’m really excited!”

I clapped my hands dramatically, as if performing pansori. Susan grabbed my hand with an expression of joy.

“I’ll make sure to succeed. Once it’s finished, I’ll come show it to you first.”

“You promise? Then come to the mansion and show it to the servants. They’ll direct you to me right away.”

I handed Susan a badge with the Winnyates family crest. Susan stared at me, surprised.

“My lord, this…?”

The badge symbolized that Susan could receive protection from the Wynyeats family wherever she went. By showing the badge, she could buy items or ask for help under the Wnyyeats name within the domain. Later, the costs would be settled by the Count’s family.

Support