Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 2.19

“…”

Callisto’s long lashes quivered. After a moment of hesitation, he pouted and eventually nodded.

“Fine. But just this once.”

“Sure, sure.”

As if. I chuckled inwardly as I lay down beside him.

After a few days of sleeping with his back turned, Callisto rolled over and burrowed into my arms. Wasting no time, I planted a kiss on his round cheek. The child, who had avoided my touch just the day before, now accepted it with a feigned aloofness.

“Baby, you’re not upset anymore, right?”

“I wasn’t upset.”

“Then what was it?”

“I was heartbroken from being rejected.”

“Oh…”

So my baby was heartbroken. When I was his age, I was carrying around stuffed animals modeled after cartoon characters, but Callisto was already so precocious.

Still, since he said he was heartbroken, I couldn’t ignore it. I carefully asked again, making sure not to hurt his sensitive feelings.

“Is your heart better now?”

“How could it heal so easily? Do you think love is that simple?”

“No… it’s not simple…”

I didn’t know from experience, but I doubted it was easy… My response was awkward. Why did I feel like I kept losing verbal battles to this seven-year-old? Neither of us had experienced love, so why did he seem so confident?

As I pondered this, Callisto, who had been sneaking glances at me, mumbled hesitantly.

“I’ve been thinking about it seriously.”

Apparently, this seven-year-old had given it serious thought. I tried my best not to laugh as I humored him.

“…Really? My baby’s been thinking seriously?”

“I’m being serious.”

“Alright, alright, baby.”

“…Callisto.”

Callisto let out a dramatic sigh as though he had no other choice, and I couldn’t help but feel bewildered. Furrowing his brow, he began to speak.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I think you’re ignoring my feelings just because I’m a kid.”

He was clearly picking a fight. I protested in an aggrieved tone.

“That’s not true! I told you, marriage is something you do with someone you love.”

“You said you loved me first!”

“What? When did I—?”

Before I could finish my question, I suddenly remembered. I had said it. Not just once, but many times. Specifically, when I tucked him in at night and kissed his forehead…

But using that as leverage felt unfair. What kind of elder sibling wouldn’t say ‘I love you’ to their baby brother while putting him to bed? As far as I was concerned, I had done nothing wrong.

Callisto, however, clearly thought otherwise.

“See? You do remember! You said you love me.”

Cornered with no escape, I replied hesitantly.

“Well… yes…”

“Then the only reason you won’t marry me is because I’m a kid, isn’t it?”

I had no idea how he managed to twist the conversation in this direction. Unable to come up with a response, I fell silent.

“That’s why I’ll just have to grow up quickly. Once I’m an adult, I’ll propose to you again.”

Wouldn’t you change your mind once you grow up, my dear? I swallowed a laugh, remembering the obsessive Callisto from the original story who was utterly fixated on Lawrence. As I held back my amusement, Callisto was busy making his declaration with utmost seriousness.

“Next time, you won’t be able to escape. You’ll have to marry me.”

“Uh… sure.”

“Wait, are you agreeing? You’re promising, right?”

“When did I—?”

As I began to refute, Callisto’s eyes started to glisten suspiciously, trembling ever so slightly. Afraid I’d make him cry again, I hastily changed my tone.

“Okay, okay! Don’t cry, sweetheart.”

“Then promise me!”

“…Fine.”

Relieved, Callisto immediately held out his pinky. Resigned to my fate, I reluctantly linked my pinky with his.

As soon as I did, his expression brightened. The watery look in his eyes disappeared in an instant. I couldn’t help but feel like I’d been duped again.

But his round eyes crinkled into a dazzling smile, and his little face was so adorable that I found myself smiling along despite everything.

“Geez… when you get married, don’t push me aside because I’m annoying.”

I muttered in mock annoyance.

“I told you, I’m marrying you. Why do you keep trying to run away?”

This kid was shaping up to be a classic obsessive love interest in the making. At least he seemed to have cheered up. Callisto soon drifted off to sleep, clutching onto the hem of my clothes. I gently pulled him closer with one arm and tucked the blanket around him with the other.

The night passed peacefully.

A few days later, Dr. Woodson returned to the estate to administer the experimental alpha manifestation serum.

The syringes used in this world were monstrously large compared to modern ones. When the doctor pulled it out, my face went pale with shock.

“It’ll just sting for a moment, Young Master.”

“‘Sting’ doesn’t seem like the right word for that thing.”

“…I apologize.”

“Just… get it over with, please.”

I shut my eyes tightly as Dr. Woodson inserted the needle into my arm. The pain was sharp enough to elicit a yelp.

“It will hurt quite a bit. Take the painkillers I’ve prepared, and if it becomes unbearable, call for me immediately. Make sure to rest plenty as well.”

Dr. Woodson listed the precautions with a worried expression. Slumped against the bed, I gave him a weak nod.

“When will we know if it’s working?”

The pain wasn’t the issue. The real question was whether the serum could successfully mask my omega identity. If it didn’t work, my status as an omega would soon come to light. Once that happened, Roen would undoubtedly secure an imperial decree forcing our engagement.

“If it works, you’ll see results as early as today. At the latest, within a week. However, as I mentioned before, this is not a perfected formula. It won’t permanently change your designation. Even if it succeeds, the effects will wear off within a few years.”

In other words, I would eventually have to live as a recessive omega. I shrugged as if it didn’t bother me. Once I survived this ordeal, no one would be scrutinizing my designation. Keeping it hidden would be manageable.

‘If I can’t maintain the charade forever, I guess marriage is off the table. I’ll just leave the title to one of Callisto and Lawrence’s kids.’

Dr. Woodson soon left, and I drifted off to sleep, unaware of the events about to unfold upon waking.

“Your Highness, the Young Master is unwell.”

“That’s precisely why I need to see him. I brought a royal physician with me, after all. Isn’t that right?”

“Even so, the Count isn’t here, and the Young Master is resting alone. It wouldn’t be appropriate—Your Highness!”

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but the commotion outside my room was loud enough to wake me. Before I could process what was happening, the door was flung open.

“Etienne, I heard you were very ill. Are you alright? You look quite pale.”

“…Your Highness.”

I might have been fine if not for your visit, I thought bitterly, forcing myself to sit up. Cliff, who had been hovering anxiously behind Roen, quickly rushed to my side to support me.

“Young Master Etienne of Winnyates greets His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Haha, no need to stand on ceremony. Lie down. No need to trouble yourself in your condition.”

“…Thank you, Your Highness.”

Wouldn’t it have been better to say that before I got up? My entire body ached as though I’d been pummeled. Sitting up left me dizzy, but at least I didn’t feel the fever or strange sensations I’d experienced during my initial manifestation.

“What brings Your Highness here?”

“Why so formal, Etienne? There’s no need for such stiffness between us.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

What was our relationship exactly? Oh, right—he was trying to force me into a marriage I was desperately trying to avoid, to the point of injecting myself with untested serums. If anything, shouldn’t he be the one easing my discomfort?

“I heard you were unwell, so I brought a royal physician. You’re to be my future spouse; I can’t have you in poor health, can I?”

“Your Highness, our family’s physician already attended to me yesterday.”

“Is that so? Then perhaps Winnyates should consider changing doctors.”

“Pardon? What do you mean—?”

Roen’s smile was faint, but his gaze as he scrutinized me was sharp and calculating.

“There’s something different about your scent, Etienne. It seems to me you’ve already manifested. Did your physician fail to notice? Perhaps their skills are lacking.”

“…”

It was a thinly veiled threat: Roen wouldn’t back down until my designation was revealed. I closed my eyes tightly.

‘I didn’t think he’d act this quickly.’

Dr. Woodson had said it would take at least a week for the serum to take full effect, and even then, success wasn’t guaranteed. My heart pounded anxiously.

Roen turned to the royal physician and ordered smoothly.

“Dr. Henrik, examine him.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Without waiting for my consent, the physician approached and took a blood sample. The prick of the needle made me wince.

“Apologies, Young Master. It’s done now.”

He offered a token apology before pulling out a prepared test vial containing alpha blood. When mixed with omega blood, alpha blood would blend smoothly; if the subject was an alpha, the two wouldn’t mix at all.

The doctor poured my blood into the vial. The moments it took for the reaction to show felt agonizingly long.

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