Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 6.5

Callisto shook his head at my question about the plan we’d previously postponed due to fears of civil war. His golden eyes softened as he glanced down at me, a sly smile spreading across his lips.

“No. If Roen wants to pick a fight, then we’ll meet him on the sea.”

Though I spent hours each day at the Second Prince’s palace, I rarely stayed long enough to know what Callisto was working on. I’d assumed his time recovering in bed meant he’d been resting, but clearly, he’d been quietly preparing for war all along.

The realization left me feeling stifled and agitated, a dull headache forming at my temples. I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the discomfort.

“Are you okay, brother? You don’t look well,” Callisto asked, interrupting his explanation about his fleet’s deployment near the Northern Sea.

Forcing a smile, I shook my head. “I’m fine. Just overthinking everything. It’s giving me a headache.”

“You’ve been looking pale lately. You haven’t been feeling well for days.”

“Have I?”

It was news to me, though Callisto always seemed to know my condition better than I did. His large hand pressed against my forehead, the coolness of his touch offering brief relief. A gentle, familiar scent accompanied his gesture, and I found myself breathing a little easier.

Callisto frowned, brushing his hand down to cup my cheek.

“You’ve got a fever. You’ve been overexerting yourself, haven’t you? Taking care of me must’ve worn you out. Dr. Woodson says I’m fine now, so take tomorrow off and rest at the estate.”

I glanced at the table by the bed, where Callisto’s empty plate sat next to the half-eaten bowl of stew I’d brought him earlier. The memory of him earlier that day, playfully whining that he was too unwell to feed himself, brought a small smile to my lips. And yet, he was quick to change his tune when the situation shifted.

Truthfully, the heavy conversation had left me feeling drained, and my body hadn’t felt this sluggish in a while. Pressing a hand to my aching forehead, I sighed. Callisto’s expression darkened further.

“This won’t do. I’ll take you back to the estate myself,” he declared.

“Huh? No, that’s not necessary. It’s probably just a cold. Besides, I came here in the Wynyates carriage. If you come with me, how will you get back?”

“I’ll ride a horse.”

“You can’t! Your ribs haven’t fully healed yet—wait.”

I trailed off, suddenly noticing his sheepish smile. Realization dawned, and I grabbed his cheek, tugging hard enough to stretch his pale skin like soft rice cake.

“You’ve been riding horses already, haven’t you? Since when?”

“It hurts, brother…”

“Hurts? You didn’t even flinch when your ribs cracked!”

“It really hurts! Ow…”

“Does it really hurt? Did I pull too hard?”

I knew he was exaggerating, but his long lashes fluttered as he feigned tears, and I couldn’t help but soften. Callisto knew I saw through him, yet we both played along.

“I don’t know why I bother,” I muttered, releasing his cheek and pressing a kiss to the reddened spot. He closed his eyes bashfully and murmured.

“We’re just… falling in love, that’s all.”

Moments like this made it impossible not to forgive him.

“Um… excuse me. There are people here, you know.”

The sharp voice broke the spell. I jumped away, startled, while Callisto glared at the door, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

Leaning casually against the doorframe, Lawrence stood with an exasperated expression.

“Didn’t we agree to meet today for the strategy meeting, Your Highness?” Lawrence asked, his tone sharp.

Callisto crossed his arms and retorted, “I’m busy right now. Can’t you see? Besides, you shouldn’t barge into the prince’s chambers uninvited.”

Lawrence wasn’t fazed. “Uninvited? You invited me—two days ago! Did you forget?”

The tension in the room thickened as the two bickered, but the argument was mercifully interrupted by familiar voices approaching rapidly.

“We’re here too, Marquis!”

“Yeah! Let’s talk about how we’re gonna crush that Roen bastard!”

Kevin and Annette burst into the room, their loud enthusiasm cutting through the hostility like a blade. As usual, their arrival brought chaos, but it was also a welcome distraction.

“Can’t you all behave like adults?” I sighed, rubbing my temples.

“Adults don’t squabble like this!” Annette chided, smirking at Lawrence and Callisto, who were glaring daggers at each other.

Despite the chaos, I couldn’t help but think—perhaps, in their own dysfunctional way, this group might just be what we needed to face the battles ahead.

Upon hearing my response, Lawrence’s expression crumbled in an instant. His brown eyes trembled violently, becoming glassy with unshed tears. Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt, I hurriedly added, almost as if to defend myself.

“No, Callisto isn’t the type to play games or manipulate people. You know that, Lawrence. He’s just… so beautiful and kind. How could I not fall for him? Please don’t take it the wrong way. Just… be happy for us, okay?”

“…”

Lawrence pressed his lips tightly together and remained silent for a moment.

Behind him, Kevin and Annette crept closer, each placing a hand on his shoulders and patting them sympathetically.

“You holding up, Lawrence?”

“Stay strong, Lawrence. You can’t afford to crumble over something like this.”

“Yeah, this is nothing. You’re going to see far worse. A hundred times worse. Maybe even a thousand.”

“We warned you, didn’t we? The Admiral’s antics are nothing compared to the Consort’s.”

“At least he’s stopped calling him a baby as much these days. Guess his conscience has grown a tiny bit.”

“Yeah, just a little… like a smidge…”

Their blatant teasing left me feeling a bit embarrassed. Honestly, what had I done to deserve this sort of ridicule?

“What are you all doing? I was a bit delayed because of an experiment. Haven’t started the discussion yet? Oh, Etienne’s here too,” a familiar voice interjected, breaking the uneasy silence.

Brinne had arrived, and the relief I felt was immediate. I turned to her with a face full of gratitude, glad to see a friendly ally amidst the awkwardness.

As soon as our eyes met, though, Brinne frowned.

“Etienne, what’s with your complexion?”

“Me? What about it?”

“You’re pale as a ghost. Shouldn’t you lie down? And why are you sweating so much?”

“No, I’m fine. It’s just a bit of a cold…”

Before I could finish, a wave of nausea surged through me. My stomach churned violently, and my throat burned as if it were on fire. My breaths grew shallow, and the world around me tilted precariously.

I raised trembling hands to cover my mouth, but it was too late. Something hot and bitter surged up my throat and spilled past my lips. The sharp metallic tang of blood filled the air, enveloping the room in an instant. My knees buckled, and the world spun uncontrollably.

“Etienne!”

Callisto’s voice, panicked and desperate, rang in my ears, the last thing I heard before my vision collapsed into complete darkness.

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