Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 5.16

Fortunately, Callisto wasn’t knowledgeable enough about mining to question me further. It seemed he accepted my clumsy excuse, though he still didn’t seem convinced that we’d actually find anything. Over breakfast, he kept pestering me about what engagement gift he’d get if we failed. Shrugging, I replied casually.

“I told you—I’m giving you a diamond mine.”

“And if we don’t find it… can I pick my gift instead?”

“We’ll find it. Trust me, Callisto.”

“…”

The dissatisfied glint in his eyes was strangely endearing. I pinched his cheek and stretched it gently. Though not as plump as before, his skin was still so soft and elastic that it stretched like fresh rice cake.

The Harrington Duchy had been in the mining business for generations and was known for its expertise. In the original story, when they expanded to the northern continent, their first endeavor was diamond vein exploration. However, the odds of success were incredibly slim. Even the Harringtons, armed with extensive knowledge and resources, only managed to find a few veins after years of expensive failures. Most of the discovered mines were small and unprofitable, with only one major diamond mine proving fruitful. Yet that single mine became the foundation of their future wealth and influence.

Today, with the help of our guide and his numerous contacts, I stood at the entrance to that very diamond mine. The terrain and location matched the descriptions in the original story perfectly. For now, though, it looked like a useless patch of land—barren and overpriced.

“Tell them we’ll take this land, Callisto. Whatever price they ask, we’ll pay it.”

“Isn’t it too expensive? The locals have been exploring this area for ages, and they’ve found nothing.”

Callisto frowned, clearly skeptical. He probably thought I was being reckless in my desire to gift him a diamond mine. But while I did want to give him this mine, I’d never acted recklessly in any of my ventures. I shook my head firmly.

“This is the one. Just make the deal.”

“At least try to negotiate the price…”

“No need. Pay whatever they ask. We can afford it.”

“…Fine. But don’t be too disappointed later, Hyung.”

I didn’t mind paying a premium for the land if it ensured there would be no disputes once the diamonds started flowing.

Although Callisto was clearly unhappy, he didn’t argue further. The landowner, delighted by our willingness to pay the asking price, quickly finalized the deal.

Soon after, Callisto and I visited the newly acquired land, now officially named Callisto Mine at my insistence. Though shy about it, he didn’t seem to dislike the name. Excavation work began immediately, with additional labor hired to expedite progress before we had to return to the Empire. Despite the frantic pace, no significant discoveries had been made yet.

Thinking I might be disappointed, Callisto watched me cautiously and eventually spoke up.

“Hyung, these things take time. Sometimes it takes years to find a vein. Let’s go back to the Empire and wait—it’ll happen eventually.”

His effort to console me, despite his own disbelief, was adorable. I gently patted his cheek and smiled.

“It might take years… or it might just take a few days.”

“Hyung…”

Callisto’s worried gaze suggested he thought I was clinging to false hope. He suddenly pulled me into a tight hug and patted my back comfortingly.

“Hyung, I know I still have a lot to learn… but if we don’t find anything, I’ll hunt down more pirates and buy you another diamond mine later.”

“What? The northern pirates were wiped out. There are none left.”

“Then I’ll head to the southern seas…”

At this rate, he’d be conquering the world before we faced Roen. I couldn’t help but feel proud of how far he’d come. The boy who once promised me a diamond ring had now scaled up his ambitions to an entire mine.

“Don’t worry, Callisto. We’ll find it. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do… it’s just…”

Callisto trailed off, looking uncertain but unwilling to argue further. He followed my suggestion to ask the foreman to switch from horizontal to vertical drilling, though everyone was skeptical. Still, after weeks of hard work, we finally reached a depth that seemed promising.

“Shall we go down ourselves?” I suggested.

“No way! It’s too dangerous for you!”

Despite his protests, the mine had been reinforced for safety. Besides, there was something I wanted to show him first-hand.

“Don’t be mad, okay?”

“…”

Callisto’s lips, soft and warm enough to tickle my heart, pressed against my cheek as he trailed off his words.

In the end, all my efforts to maintain a stern expression were for nothing. My lips broke into an involuntary smile, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t ever do that again, seriously.”

“Of course not.”

Callisto nodded eagerly, smiling brightly. Though his promise didn’t feel particularly convincing, I couldn’t stay mad after smiling already.

I hadn’t noticed it much before, but Callisto had a surprisingly sly side to him.

“Be careful coming down, Hyung. I’m here at the bottom, so don’t worry.”

Callisto’s voice echoed faintly from deep below. His naturally low tone, resonating through the cavern, carried a warmth that settled in my ears.

The large wooden basket carrying me descended slowly toward the ground. The sturdy rope connecting it creaked against the pulley as it lowered. Callisto, refusing to use the basket, had already climbed down the rough, jagged wooden walls of the shaft with ease, landing safely below.

A few minutes later, the basket stopped just two meters above the ground. It wouldn’t go any lower—the rope must have been too short. Feeling a bit stuck, I called out to Callisto.

“It doesn’t reach all the way! What now?”

“Just jump. I’ll catch you, Etienne.”

“Catch me?”

I glanced down at Callisto in surprise. He looked up at me with a mischievous grin, spreading his arms wide.

“Come on, Etienne.”

Before I could overthink it, I jumped out of the basket as though drawn by some spell. Callisto caught me effortlessly, wrapping his arms securely around me.

“See? No need to worry, right?”

“…Yeah, I guess not.”

I murmured, leaning into his chest. His scent—a mix of faint sweat and the light, fresh fragrance of calendula—was clean and vibrant, making my heart race.

“Do you really think there are gems down here? It just looks like any ordinary underground cave.”

Callisto’s voice snapped me out of my daze, and I looked up at him in surprise.

“Ordinary underground cave? How would you know? It’s not like you’ve been in one before.”

“…True. This is my first time. I was just speaking nonsense. I’ve never been buried underground, so how would I know? But how do we even find the gems? Do we just start digging around?”

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