Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 5.3

Behind us, the other ships were arriving one by one. Kevin and Anessa, disembarking from Gilos I and Gilos II, ran toward us, shouting. Despite going the entire voyage without a hint of seasickness, they were already treating me like an invalid.

“Ugh… I didn’t get seasick. And stop running, you two,” I said, exasperated.

Unlike Callisto, who had grown noticeably more composed, the Gilos siblings were as playful and mischievous as ever, just as I remembered them from their younger years. They bounded up to us, laughing and giving me playful pats on the back.

Before they could go any further, Callisto grabbed each of them by the collar, his expression stern. “It’s Your Highness or Consort His Highness, not Etienne.”

Kevin immediately clamped his mouth shut, while Anessa rolled her eyes in irritation.

“Again with that? Etienne is our friend!”

“I said it’s Your Highness or Consort His Highness. Don’t make me repeat myself. Or do I need to make it clearer?”

“You’re going to threaten to hang us upside down over the ocean again, aren’t you?”

“Ugh! Just because it happened to you doesn’t mean you have to drag us into it!”

“Exactly! We’ve never been subjected to such horrors, and we’d like to keep it that way!”

“If you’re scared, then use the proper titles. Go ahead, call him Etienne one more time.”

“Why don’t you use proper titles? Your Highness! Or Consort His Highness!”

“Why would I call my consort Your Highness?”

So much for Callisto being the mature one. Watching him bicker loudly with the Gilos siblings made me realize he hadn’t changed much after all. The commotion was so loud that even as I stepped back, it still felt deafening.

“My consort, huh? Is that what you’ve been calling me in public?”

Despite my annoyance, I couldn’t help but laugh. With Callisto making his feelings so blatantly obvious, it was impossible to ignore how much he cared.

Once I managed to calm everyone down, we decided to explore the island together. Most of the sailors had already set off to gather food and water, leaving just the four of us. Callisto, holding a musket in one hand, loaded it with a practiced click and shrugged.

“It’s less chaotic with fewer people. Just you and me is better.”

I glanced at the Gilos siblings, suppressing a grin. Anessa frowned and stomped her foot in protest.

“Why do you always try to ditch us? Why do you only protect Etienne?”

“Yeah! Protect us, too! We’re fragile!”

“It’s not Etienne. It’s Your Highness,” Callisto corrected.

“Oh, fine! Your Highness!”

“Or Consort His Highness!”

“Whatever you want, just don’t ditch us! It’s scary here! What if we run into a bear?”

“What’s there to be scared of? The bears are probably more scared of you.”

“No way! We’re way more scared!”

“Enough. Stop whining and go somewhere else.”

“Ahh! Consort, please let us come along! We promise we’ll behave!”

Realizing they wouldn’t get through to Callisto, the siblings turned to me, each clinging to an arm. Their eagerness made me chuckle. Though they had their own ships and we rarely spent time together during voyages, I didn’t mind their company when the opportunity arose.

“Calli, let them come along. It’ll be fun, like old times.”

“I don’t really feel like reminiscing about old times.”

“Don’t be difficult. Be nice, alright?”

“…Fine,” Callisto relented, though his expression remained sour.

The island was surprisingly large for being uninhabited. As Callisto pointed out flowers blooming along the shoreline, he remarked, “This island always has flowers like these this time of year. Aren’t they beautiful?”

“They are,” I agreed.

The wildflowers, untouched by human hands, were far more vibrant than anything cultivated at the Count’s estate. A sweet floral fragrance wafted on the breeze, filling the air. Smiling, I gazed at the scenery and murmured without thinking, “The scent reminds me of yours—bright and sweet.”

The footsteps beside me came to an abrupt halt.

“…What?”

I turned to find Kevin and Anessa frozen, their eyes darting in confusion before they suddenly bolted ahead.

“We’ll just… go scout for hunting spots!”

“Yes! Consort, you and the Admiral take your time catching up! Watch out for bears!”

“Huh?”

Puzzled, I turned to Callisto. He stood motionless, his large hand covering his face, while his ears burned a deep red.

“Oh…”

It dawned on me then.

Talking about someone’s pheromones—especially their scent—was an intimate topic, typically reserved for lovers or spouses. To mention it so casually, and in front of others, was a major faux pas. No wonder the Gilos siblings had bolted.

Flustered, I felt my cheeks heat up as I mumbled, “I didn’t mean anything by it. The scent just reminded me of you, and I said it without thinking. I guess it’s because I got so used to it the other day…”

That wasn’t helping.

Callisto remained silent, his face and neck now completely red. Realizing I’d only made things worse, I tried to backtrack.

“I mean, I wasn’t trying to reference… that day. I barely even remember what happened. I just—”

Before I could finish, a shout rang out from the bushes ahead.

“Admiral! It’s a bear! A bear!”

Startled, I grabbed Callisto’s sleeve. “A bear? Are they serious? There are actually bears on this island?”

“Of course,” Callisto replied calmly, his expression now completely composed. The slight upward tilt of his lips suggested he was… excited.

“Lucky for us,” he added.

“Lucky? How is that lucky?”

Anessa’s voice rang out again. “Admiral! The bear is heading your way!”

“Don’t shoot it! I don’t want the pelt damaged—we’ll take it down with a sword!”

“What? Are you insane? I’m just going to shoot it!”

“Don’t you dare!”

Handing me his musket, Callisto drew a dagger from his belt and dashed toward the commotion.

“Wait here, brother. I’ll make us some delicious bear steaks for lunch.”

“Bear… steak?”

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