Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 2.20

Finally, he spoke.

“Your Highness, the blood does not mix. The Young Master is an alpha, though it appears to be recessive.”

“What? That can’t be—”

I stared anxiously at the beaker containing blood. The blood hadn’t fully separated into two layers, yet it hadn’t completely blended either.

“Luckily, it worked…”

Being a recessive omega with a weak constitution seemed to have made the medication take effect quickly. A sense of relief drained all the strength from my body.

Then suddenly, I felt a stinging sensation all over my skin, as if being whipped. My eyes throbbed painfully as if they might pop out, and nausea surged within me. The next moment, I bent over and coughed up blood.

“Young Master!”

My vision flickered black and then cleared again. Cliff noticed my faltering and supported my body. Roen, meanwhile, looked down at me with cold eyes.

“So, you are an alpha.”

A chilling voice came from above. I finally realized what had happened.

Roen had released his pheromones all at once. If I were still an omega and hadn’t taken the catalyst, just imagining how my body would have reacted to such overpowering pheromones was horrifying. The fact that I had already transitioned to an alpha saved me from experiencing anything worse than the physical pressure. It was an outrageous display of power—pure violence.

However, the perpetrator was the Empire’s First Prince, the leading candidate for Crown Prince. Covering my mouth with one hand, I bit my lower lip hard.

“Let’s head back. Etienne, I’ll see you next time.”

Roen turned briskly, leaving a cold breeze in his wake. Although Cliff, a beta, couldn’t sense Roen’s pheromones, he clenched his teeth in silent anger after noticing my condition. As Roen left with a nonchalant farewell, the bedroom door suddenly swung open. Urgent footsteps followed as Callisto burst into the room.

“Brother! Are you very sick?”

In that instant, Roen’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as he looked at Callisto.

Callisto seemed unaware of Roen standing by the door and ran straight into my arms. Panicked, I pressed Callisto’s head down, ensuring he couldn’t look up. Squished against my chest, Callisto wriggled uncomfortably.

“Brother, I can’t breathe!”

“Oh, sorry…”

I reluctantly loosened my grip, and Callisto immediately lifted his head. His amber eyes brimmed with worry as he looked up at me. Trying to shield him, I subtly positioned Callisto behind me while watching Roen’s reaction.

“Your Highness, if you’ll excuse us—”

“Is this the rumored illegitimate child?”

“…”

Behind me, I felt Callisto’s little hands clutching my waist stiffen.

Callisto knew his true status. He must have realized the boy before him was his half-brother.

And Roen was the son of the Empress who had killed Callisto’s mother.

Summoning a voice that barely emerged, I slowly replied, “He’s my younger brother, Your Highness. The child is young and acted discourteously. Please forgive him.”

“Haha, what is there to forgive? If he’s Etienne’s brother, he’s like a brother to me too.”

Roen’s dismissive wave caught me off guard. His cold demeanor after confirming I was an alpha had taken a sudden turn. Roen smiled lazily, looking at me with faint amusement.

“If he’s your brother, he must resemble you. But since he’s hiding, I can’t see his face. What’s his name?”

“…Callisto. Callisto, greet the First Prince.”

“…”

Callisto stepped hesitantly from behind me.

“I—I am Callisto of Wynyeats. It’s an honor to meet Your Highness the Prince…”

Having met the Prince, Callisto had no choice but to pay his respects. Imagining the feelings behind Callisto’s formal greeting made my chest ache.

Roen narrowed his eyes and studied Callisto closely.

Callisto had fled the palace right after birth. Roen, who had been eight years old at the time, probably hadn’t seen him before. Callisto bore no resemblance to the Emperor, his biological father. Although I had never met the Emperor in person, his portraits and the coins featuring his profile bore no similarity to Callisto.

Yet Roen’s gaze lingered on Callisto, and it unsettled me. Had he noticed something? My concern grew as I hesitantly called out, “Your Highness?”

Roen finally shifted his gaze from Callisto, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Ah, my apologies. I expected him to resemble you, but he doesn’t. It startled me.”

His words made my heart sink. I tried to divert Roen’s attention, but his curious gaze lingered on Callisto.

“Odd. He feels strangely familiar.”

“Familiar? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… It’s as if I’ve seen him before, but I can’t recall where.”

A chill ran down my spine. Only then did it occur to me that Roen might have encountered Callisto’s mother, Lady Marie Louise.

Callisto didn’t resemble the Emperor. But perhaps he was the spitting image of his mother.

“Callisto takes after me or Father. That’s probably why he seems familiar, Your Highness.”

I tried to brush it off, but Roen’s eyes turned sharp.

“He looks nothing like you, Etienne. It’s hard to believe you’re even half-siblings. Isn’t that right, Callisto?”

Before I realized it, I had grabbed Callisto’s trembling hand. The child kept his head down, avoiding Roen’s gaze, and mumbled in a strained voice.

“Brother is… my brother…”

“Hmm.”

Roen’s hum lingered as he nodded slowly.

“I see… Well, I didn’t mean anything by it. Don’t mind me. Etienne, I’ll take my leave now. See you again.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Callisto and I bowed in unison. When I glanced at Callisto, his eyes were rimmed with red.

No one knew better than I how fiercely Callisto had denied being my sibling. To see him suppress his identity before his actual half-brother was heart-wrenching.

After Roen left, I pulled Callisto into my arms and held him tightly. The child hiccupped softly, trembling faintly in my embrace. There was nothing I could do except share my warmth.

“Will you stop cherishing me when I grow up?”

“Of course, I’ll keep cherishing you… but I won’t be able to hold you and tuck you in like this anymore.”

“Why not? You can just keep holding me and tucking me in.”

“Haha…”

As we chatted, sleepiness seemed to creep in. Callisto’s large eyes were already half-closed. I kissed his forehead and spoke gently.

“Alright, then. I’ll keep holding you and tucking you in.”

“Okay… Every single day, though. You promised last time.”

“Yes, yes.”

“You have to stay with me forever, holding me and sleeping with me…”

“Alright, alright. Now, let’s go to sleep.”

“Okay…”

The warm body heat of the little child was comforting. Callisto’s voice grew slower and softer, and my eyelids started to feel heavy as well.

At the time, I truly hadn’t imagined that Callisto would still be sharing my bedroom even after turning ten years old.

And so, six years passed.

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