Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 5.2

As we sailed further away from the Empire, the weather remained perpetually clear. The abnormal rains that plagued the Empire seemed confined to that region alone. Gazing up at the cloudless sky, I felt a bittersweet sense of detachment.

Behind me, I heard approaching footsteps—decisive yet measured. Without turning around, I knew it was Callisto. He draped his jacket over my shoulders as he reached me.

I glanced at him and chuckled softly. Callisto, looking a little flustered, spoke up.

“The sea breeze is cold. Don’t catch a chill.”

“You nagged me so much this morning that I’m already wearing layers. Now you’re adding your jacket? I’ll start sweating.”

“It’s better to sweat than to get sick.”

He shrugged, pulling the oversized jacket snugly around me. It was so large that the fabric hung loosely below my shoulders.

“Are you seasick? Is the food alright? It must be lacking since we’re at sea, right? Are you bored? We’ll reach an island in a few days, so hang in there. I’ll hunt something delicious for you, alright?”

“Calli, I didn’t say anything.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the barrage of questions I had become accustomed to hearing multiple times a day. Stretching out my hand, I gently patted his cheek.

“I’m not seasick at all, and the food is fine. You even brought chickens and cows on board, so I’ve been having fresh eggs every morning along with milk. I’m not lacking anything. Watching the ocean keeps me from feeling bored. As for hunting… don’t. It’s dangerous, and the provisions we brought are more than enough.”

I repeated the same reassurances I had given him countless times. Still, Callisto looked worried and reiterated the sentiment he’d already expressed twenty times.

“But that’s salted meat. You need fresh food. Your body’s not strong enough to handle a poor diet. It’s too risky.”

“What risk? I’m not that frail. I’m fine, so focus on the fleet, okay?”

The real problem was that the admiral overseeing the entire fleet was glued to my side all day. To make matters worse, the navigation officer, Pete, was standing some distance away, clearly hesitant but with something urgent to report. I waved him over, signaling that it was alright to approach.

Pete’s face lit up as he quickly stepped forward to stand beside Callisto. However, Callisto’s expression instantly soured. Scowling at Pete, he asked brusquely, “What is it?”

“Ad-Admiral…”

“Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Yes, sir. You seem extremely busy…”

There was no way Callisto, idling beside me, could appear busy. But poor Pete, already flustered, stammered as he scrambled to appease him. Having experienced similar workplace politics in the past, I sympathized with Pete and decided to intervene.

“Pete seems to have something important to report. Go ahead and discuss it. I’ll step aside.”

“Huh? No, brother, you don’t need to leave. Pete, is what you have to say so critical that Etty has to move for it?”

“N-no, sir! Your Highness, please, there’s no need for that! Please stay!” Pete exclaimed, nearly leaping in place.

I had only meant to help but seemed to have inadvertently made things worse. Grabbing Callisto’s wrist, I tried to diffuse the situation.

“He didn’t ask me to leave, Calli. Pete, if it’s alright with you, go ahead and report now. Right, Calli?”

I barely stopped myself from calling him “little one,” a childhood nickname that had become a stubborn habit. Knowing better than to coddle him in front of others, I quickly corrected myself. Thankfully, Callisto didn’t seem to mind my slip and asked Pete, still scowling, “What’s the matter?”

“Well, Admiral, it seems… the ship is entering the doldrums.”

The color drained from Callisto’s face.

“What? Why are you only reporting this now?”

Seeing Callisto’s menacing expression, Pete and I both knew better than to point out that he had been the one delaying the report earlier.

The doldrums, an area notorious for its lack of wind, was one of the most dangerous regions on the northern sea route. Without wind, sailing ships relying on wind power were rendered immobile, and fleets trapped there often met tragic ends—starvation, sinking, or worse.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Callisto hurried to the navigation room, and I followed closely, unable to shake my concern. The room was a flurry of activity, officers snapping to attention and saluting as Callisto entered.

“Admiral!”

“What happened? I ordered the route to avoid the doldrums. Why are we heading there?”

“Well… there was a minor issue with the sextant this morning…”

Callisto’s sharp gaze made the senior officer’s explanation falter.

“We’re not fully in the doldrums yet,” the officer added hastily. “The wind and current are still steady.”

“If we were fully in the doldrums and you waited until then to report, you’d already be finished,” Callisto snapped.

“Yes, sir…”

Despite his stern demeanor, it was clear that the officers trusted him implicitly. Their nervousness was not from doubt but respect, as they watched him take control of the situation.

With Callisto’s quick actions, the fleet managed to steer clear of the doldrums. As I watched him command the crew and handle the massive ship’s wheel alone, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and pride.

When it was all over, Callisto turned to me, his face softening into the familiar, caring expression I knew so well. “Were you scared, Etty? I’m sorry.”

For a moment, I could only stare at him, caught between admiration for the admiral he had become and affection for the Callisto who was still mine.

“No… There’s nothing to be sorry for,” I murmured, taking his outstretched hand. His large, calloused palm enveloped mine, a stark contrast to the small, delicate hand I remembered from years ago.

Callisto wasn’t the child I had once sheltered, but someone stronger, someone who now protected me. And I couldn’t have been prouder of him.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, it feels like paradise on earth.”

Callisto smiled at my awestruck reaction. “I’m glad. Among all the resupply points on the way to the northern continent, this island is the most beautiful. I thought you’d like it, so I adjusted our route to dock here.”

I paused at his words, momentarily caught off guard. Though I tried not to overthink it, Callisto’s gestures and comments like this had been weighing on my mind lately. Unsure of how to respond, I simply lowered my gaze in silence.

Sensing my hesitation, Callisto gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders and whispered softly, “Don’t feel pressured by anything I say, brother. I just act on my own feelings. You should do the same—whatever feels right for you.”

“…I’m not pressured,” I replied, trying to sound unaffected. But the warmth and sweetness of his breath against my ear sent a flush to my cheeks. It wasn’t because of his words—or so I told myself.

“Good, that’s what I like to hear,” Callisto said with a gentle laugh. His gaze lingered on me, making my face feel even hotter. I turned my attention to the scenery, pretending to take in the surroundings.

“Admiral! What are you two doing over there? Did Etienne get seasick?”

“Did he throw up?”

Support