Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 5.14

“Honestly, I thought His Grace would hold out until we returned to the Empire. I’ve lost everything…”

“Same here. How did His Grace suddenly develop this much awareness? I lost last month’s salary too…”

Judging by their chatter, they had been betting on us. It was almost impressive how perceptive they were. It seemed the only one clueless about this situation was me.

What surprised me more was Callisto’s reaction—or lack thereof. I had expected him to get angry, but instead, he seemed utterly unbothered. In fact, he was practically glowing with contentment as he chewed on the roasted batate. His golden eyes crinkled into crescent moons, a soft smile constantly tugging at his lips.

Amused by his uncharacteristic cheerfulness, I cut another piece and slipped it into his mouth.

“Do you really like it that much, Calli?”

“It’s delicious.”

To be fair, who wouldn’t enjoy something so reminiscent of roasted sweet potatoes? Feeling nostalgic, I kept nibbling on the batate and occasionally fed Callisto another piece.

“Should we take some back with us? If we set up a greenhouse in the estate’s garden, we could grow enough to have some as snacks.”

“If it’s what you want, of course we should,” Callisto replied without hesitation.

“Then let’s bring some seedlings back to grow. Do you want another piece?”

“Mm-hmm.”

His full lips moved as he chewed, slightly swollen from the night before. A faint sheen on them made them seem even more eye-catching. Memories of last night flashed through my mind, momentarily distracting me. By the time I snapped back to reality, I realized I had fed Callisto an entire roasted batate. Blinking at my empty hands, I felt a little embarrassed.

“Your Grace, are you finished? Shall we head to the next farm?”

A junior officer cautiously approached, clearly pushed forward by his peers. Judging by his unusually cheerful demeanor, he must have won the bet. A glance over my shoulder confirmed it—his colleagues were gathered under a tree, sulking as they exchanged coins.

“Yes, we’re ready to go.”

Callisto nodded at the junior officer, draping an arm casually over my shoulder. The officer flinched but said nothing, while Callisto, acting as if my shoulder had belonged to him all along, smiled as I instinctively looped an arm around his waist.

When we reached the carriage, a waiting officer held the door open and said firmly, “Please board together, Admiral.”

“Even me?” Callisto raised a brow in surprise, but the officer’s pointed look left him no choice but to step into the carriage beside me. The door shut swiftly behind him.

Peeking out the window, I noticed the officers leading Callisto’s horse farther away from the carriage. It was obvious they wanted some distance.

The next farm wasn’t far and cultivated a crop called batatas. The officers who arrived ahead of us handed me one to examine. I didn’t even need to taste it—its resemblance to the potatoes we’d been searching for was unmistakable.

“They say it grows well even in heavy rain, isn’t picky about climate, and can be harvested in two to three months,” Callisto relayed after speaking with the farmer.

Its properties mirrored potatoes so closely that it seemed like the perfect famine crop. Despite expecting difficulties, we had found it more easily than I’d hoped. Holding a batatas in my hand, I asked hesitantly, “Is it nutritious?”

“They claim you could survive on just this alone,” Callisto replied.

“Perfect. Let’s bring this back to the Empire.”

By cultivating batatas, the Empire’s population could endure any future disasters, not just the current floods. Satisfied that we’d accomplished our primary goal, we moved on to the next step: securing direct trade deals with spice farms.

As Callisto had promised, the spices—including pepper and cloves—were far cheaper than the prices we had been paying through intermediaries. Knowing how much we had overspent before made my stomach churn.

Seeing my furrowed brows, Callisto comforted me.

“You’ve managed to turn a profit despite the high costs. Now that we’re dealing directly, we’ll be more than fine.”

“Still, maintaining the fleet costs a fortune, doesn’t it? Especially keeping a flagship like the Eti…”

I trailed off, refusing to say the full name out loud. Why Callisto had named the ship after me, I would never understand. Callisto didn’t seem to notice my discomfort, tilting his head in confusion.

“The Eti? What about it?”

“It must cost a lot to maintain…”

Callisto chuckled, apparently misinterpreting my hesitation. “Are you planning to use the fleet for yourself, Hyung? Or as an escort? The northern seas are safe now, so escorts aren’t necessary anymore.”

“No, it’s not for me.”

Feeling flustered, I glanced around to ensure we were alone. Fortunately, the officers had tactfully kept their distance, pretending to be engrossed in the horizon.

“It’s for you. Expanding the fleet is important, right?”

My true motive was to bolster Callisto’s forces discreetly, as my own private army was already growing too conspicuous. Having a strong naval presence scattered across the northern seas would be less noticeable to the Empress and her allies.

Judging by the officers’ knowing looks, they assumed I was spending money recklessly out of affection for Callisto. That misunderstanding was preferable to them discovering I was funding a potential rebellion.

“Really? You don’t have to do that…” Callisto mumbled, his cheeks faintly pink.

The unexpected shyness caught me off guard. His long lashes fluttered, and his lips curved into a bashful smile. Seeing him like that made me lose my train of thought for a moment.

“Well, if you insist… I’ll use the new ship as the flagship,” he said brightly.

Laughing, I shook my head. “No, the flagship stays as it is. Besides, the new ship’s name would make it awkward.”

“What’s the name?”

I hadn’t even built the ship yet, but I’d just decided on its name. Smirking mischievously, I answered, “The Calli.”

To my surprise, Callisto’s face lit up with delight instead of embarrassment. Meanwhile, in the distance, a junior officer groaned and kicked at the dirt.

After finalizing direct spice deals, we set our sights on acquiring saffron and nutmeg farms. Unlike before, this wasn’t for trade but outright purchase.

When Callisto first suggested traveling to the northern continent together, he’d dangled the idea of buying a spice plantation to entice me. At the time, I’d thought it was an empty promise, but it turned out he’d been serious. Feeling slightly guilty for doubting him, I kept busy by feeding him during breakfast that morning.

Before we’d even finished, Anessa abruptly set down her spoon and stood up.

“Can we just head back to the Empire now? Kevin, let’s go!”

“Yes! Let’s… wait, can we, Admiral?”

Kevin leaped to his feet, joining her in rebellion. The other officers glanced at them enviously but stayed seated, wary of Callisto’s reaction.

With a piece of lamb steak in his mouth, Callisto waved them off dismissively.

“Gilos I and II can return with the rest of the fleet. Farmers have volunteered to assist with cultivation, so take them along. The consort and I will depart on the Eti once we’ve wrapped things up here. Gilos I will serve as the temporary flagship.”

“Yes, Admiral!”

“What? Why not Gilos II?”

While Anessa obeyed without question, Kevin sulked at being passed over for the temporary flagship. He didn’t complain for long, though; Anessa had grabbed his ear and was dragging him out before he could argue further.

“Does it matter who’s in charge? Or do you want to stay here longer?” she muttered, making him relent.

“Absolutely not. But if it doesn’t matter who the interim admiral is, can it be me?”

“Of course not.”

“…Fine…”

Kevin and Anessa grumbled as they hurriedly left the dining hall, their voices echoing loudly even outside.

Once Gilos I and II set sail, loaded with batatas seedlings, Callisto and I visited a nutmeg plantation that had recently gone on sale. The farm’s location near the harbor was excellent, and the nutmeg growing there was of the highest quality. It seemed almost too good to be true, so I couldn’t help but wonder why the land was being sold.

The elderly farmer handling the negotiations wore a perpetually dark expression and seemed unwell. Callisto, noticing my curiosity, spoke briefly with the farmer before translating in a low voice.

“He’s recently suffered some misfortune and plans to sell everything and retire. The northern continent has been relatively peaceful, but apparently, there’s been an uptick in troubling incidents lately.”

“Troubling incidents?”

“This farmer is originally from an inland village. His hometown was raided, and everyone close to him was kidnapped. This area near the northern coast is relatively safe because of its proximity to trade routes, but inland villages are frequently attacked, and the residents are taken away.”

“Attacked and kidnapped? That many people, why?”

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