Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 3.6

“…What do you mean?” I asked, realizing my father had a plan.

He sighed heavily, his expression grim. “It’s time to send Callisto to the Academy. If she spends a few years away, the Empress and Roen will likely lose interest.”

“But she’s too young, Father. We can’t send her to the Academy alone.”

“Etienne.” His voice softened, yet there was no room for argument. “The Empress will continue calling for Callisto, and we can’t make excuses forever. You can’t shield her from this forever, either. Sending her to the Academy will be for her own good.”

I had no response. He was right, and I knew it, but the thought of sending Callisto away filled me with sadness. If only I could attend with her, but as an adult, that was no longer an option.

Lowering my head, I struggled to think of how I would break the news to her.

At the Practice Room

When I visited the practice room after the children’s swordsmanship class, I found them huddled together in a corner, engaged in an animated discussion.

“…So that’s what happened. Anessa beat him fair and square, but he still passed!” one of them exclaimed.

“And the guy I kept defeating also passed! How is that fair?” another chimed in.

The children were clearly upset about the results of the Imperial Knight examinations. I watched from a distance, wondering how I would tell Callisto about the Academy.

“Anessa won, and Kevin was the runner-up… but since they both didn’t make it, it seems like there’s some shady backstory here,” Callisto murmured, frowning slightly as she listened to Anessa and Kevin’s indignant recounting. Meanwhile, Lawrence stood by, listening intently to the Gillos siblings’ story, his expression serious as he tried to piece everything together.

Just by overhearing them, I could already tell what had happened. The results of the Palace Knights Training Corps exam, which the Gillos siblings had participated in, had recently been announced.

It seems things turned out just like in the original storyline.

Despite my hopes, the corruption of aristocratic society remained intact. Instead of the talented Gillos siblings, children from marquis and count families, who held higher social standings, were the ones who passed. This left the Gillos siblings—who had dedicated years to preparing for the Knights—deeply disappointed and dejected. Kevin slumped forward as Callisto awkwardly patted his shoulder with her small hand, trying to comfort him.

In the original story, after failing the Knights’ exam, the Gillos siblings enlisted in the Navy, where meritocracy reigned, and class distinctions were irrelevant. Callisto, seeking to escape the shadow of Wynyeates, joined them. However, I doubted that Kevin and Anessa would make the same choice in this life. I had already planned to sponsor them and arrange for their enrollment at the Academy instead.

Thinking of the Academy reminded me of my father’s suggestion to send Callisto there as well. My steps slowed as I mulled over his words.

If Callisto attends the Academy with the Gillos siblings, she won’t feel lonely.

At the Academy, Callisto could avoid the Empress’s grasp and use her abilities freely. No matter how I looked at it, my father’s plan seemed sound. The only thing holding me back was my reluctance to part with Callisto.

“Huh? Hyung!”

Callisto’s face lit up as she spotted me. She ran over and hugged my waist tightly, beaming with delight. Lawrence followed her hesitantly, his expression betraying his mixed feelings. He was likely still upset about my rejection of his earlier proposal.

“…Etienne is here too?” he finally asked, giving in after barely a moment’s hesitation.

The children quickly surrounded me, their complaints about the unfair treatment Kevin and Anessa had received tumbling out all at once. I raised a hand to calm them and spoke carefully.

“Wynyeates could apply pressure and request a retrial. But even if you were reinstated this way, it would be difficult to avoid discrimination. They’d likely try to exclude you from opportunities and make things harder for you.”

“Does that mean we can’t become knights?” Kevin asked, his voice heavy with despair.

“This is too unfair! We worked so hard and did our best!” Anessa added, her tone bitter.

I softened my expression as I tried to reassure them. “What about the Academy?”

“The Academy?” Kevin looked confused. “I heard it’s hard to get into, and tuition is really expensive. We can’t go to a place like that, can we?”

“If my father writes a letter of recommendation and the Count sponsors you, you’ll be able to enroll. If you’re interested, I’ll make it happen.”

The siblings exchanged uncertain glances. Anessa finally spoke, her tone tinged with guilt. “We’re grateful, but… isn’t that too much to ask? We’d owe you so much.”

I smiled gently. “It’s not about debt. My father believes in investing in talented people. Where else in the Empire could we find swordsmen as skilled as you two? The Knights’ decision was a mistake.”

Anessa blushed slightly. “You always say such kind things, Etienne.”

Kevin grinned shyly. “That’s true. But we’re not the best swordsmen in the Empire—Callisto is better than us!”

“Oh… Callisto?” I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the girl, who was blushing furiously while twisting her small body in embarrassment.

“Callisto, what do you think about going to the Academy with your friends? It’ll be easier to adjust if you enroll together.”

“That sounds great!” Kevin and Anessa chimed in, clearly enthusiastic.

“Callisto is leaving for the Academy? And Etienne’s staying here?” Lawrence asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“…What does that mean, hyung?” Callisto asked, her expression darkening. Tears welled in her amber eyes as her lips quivered. “Why should I go to the Academy? I don’t want to go!”

I didn’t want to send her either. But I couldn’t scare her by explaining the true reason. I hesitated, fumbling for words.

“Sweetheart, the Academy will give you so many opportunities to grow and use your abilities to their fullest…”

“I don’t need opportunities! I just want to stay here with you!” she cried, her voice trembling.

“Even if you feel that way now, when you grow a little older—”

“Why are you trying to send me away? Do you hate me now?”

“What? No! Of course not. How could I ever hate you?” I exclaimed, panicked. I reached out to her, stroking her hair in an attempt to soothe her. Her tear-filled amber eyes tore at my heart.

Realizing I couldn’t evade the truth forever, I whispered to her, “I’ll explain everything soon. After I return from the palace… I’ll tell you everything. Don’t cry, okay?”

“The palace? Why are you going to the palace?” she asked, startled.

I forced a smile. “The Empress invited us to a tea party. Nothing will happen. I’ll just go, assess the situation, and return. Then we’ll talk about what to do next. All right?”

Callisto’s face clouded over. She lowered her head, her expression grim. Despite her young age, she seemed to understand the gravity of the situation.

“…Okay. But you have to tell me later, hyung.”

Long shadows fell across her face, and guilt weighed heavily on me. But there was no other choice.

Two weeks later, I boarded a carriage to the palace with my father. The Empress was waiting.

In the interim, I had managed to coax Callisto into agreeing to enroll in the Academy alongside Kevin and Anessa. The Academy allowed noble children to bring one servant of a similar age, so arrangements were made for a twelve-year-old orphan boy to join Callisto as her attendant. Hearing this, Callisto had cheered up slightly and began packing my old clothes to give to the boy.

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