Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 7.1

The royal physicians summoned to the Second Prince’s palace all shook their heads. They described Etienne’s condition as something unprecedented, with some cautiously suggesting preparing for the worst. Among them were likely some loyal to the Empress. Callisto found himself unable to trust any of them.

Ultimately, the family doctor of House Wynyates, Dr. Woodson, was called in. The aging physician, who had cared for both Etienne and Callisto since childhood, quickly wore a grim expression.

The Wynyates Count accompanied the doctor to the Second Prince’s palace, his face pale and his shoulders slumped. He initially intended to bring Etienne back to the family estate but changed his mind after seeing Callisto’s expression. Instead, Dr. Woodson decided to stay at the Second Prince’s palace to provide care.

Days passed, yet Etienne’s condition showed no improvement. He remained unconscious for long stretches, only occasionally waking briefly before passing out again, as if succumbing to exhaustion.

Despite efforts to contain the situation, rumors of ill fortune in the Second Prince’s palace began to seep out. When Callisto received a report suggesting that the Empress’s faction had caught wind of the palace’s plight, he sat at Etienne’s bedside, heavy with suspicion. Somewhere within the Second Prince’s palace—or perhaps even the Wynyates estate—there was undoubtedly an informant working for the Empress.

“Your Excellency, troops from Harrington are beginning to gather along the coast of Gunter Harbor,” came a cautious voice.

A group of officers stood before Callisto, their expressions tense as though they were walking on thin ice. Callisto silently gazed down at Etienne before closing his eyes tightly. He hadn’t slept for days, and his eyes burned from exhaustion.

The officer continued his report, raising his voice slightly for emphasis.

“Not only Gunter Harbor but Harrington’s allied noble territories are also constructing warships.”

So what? Callisto thought to himself, his hand reaching out to touch Etienne’s cheek. The once warm skin had grown cold and clammy over the past several days. He felt his chest tighten, the familiar pang of dread returning once again.

He pressed trembling fingers under Etienne’s nose. Only when he felt the faintest breath against his skin did his tense hand fall limply to his side.

“Your Excellency… this is not the time for hesitation. My apologies, but it truly isn’t,” another officer hesitantly interjected, his voice filled with urgency. When Callisto failed to respond, another voice chimed in, growing bolder.

“The ships Harrington is building are all large galleys capable of carrying many soldiers. Our fleet, consisting of sail-powered ships, may have strong artillery, but if this comes to close combat and escalates into boarding battles, we’ll be at an absolute disadvantage.”

“We must strike before they are fully prepared. If we delay any longer, we will lose the initiative. Preparing for confrontation with the First Prince is the priority,” the officer urged.

War was now inevitable.

While Callisto sat vigil by Etienne’s side, Roen and the Empress were diligently preparing for conflict. Reports of the First Prince residing at Gunter Harbor were no longer mere rumors. The officers were right—waiting any longer would only give Roen and the Empress more time to strengthen their positions, making the situation increasingly unfavorable.

Callisto had always known how to prioritize. But this time, he couldn’t bring himself to move forward. The officers’ words barely registered, flitting past his ears like distant echoes. So what? he thought again.

If Etienne were to slip away, then nothing else in the world would matter.

“Callisto.”

Another presence gently rested a hand on his shoulder, a warmth distinct from Etienne’s. Though slightly rough around the edges, it carried a certain kindness. Even so, Callisto’s gaze remained fixed on Etienne’s sleeping face, as if fearing that any distraction might cause him to vanish altogether.

The voice sighed softly, resigned, before continuing, “Kevin and Anessa have already left for Blast Harbor. They’ll be ready to depart with the fleet at any moment. Brine also headed to the shipyard there, as you’d requested. You asked him to handle something, didn’t you?”

Shipyard, Brine, a request… The words flowed into Callisto’s hazy mind like a stream. He was all too familiar with this voice—he had heard it countless times, not just in waking hours but also in his dreams. Dreams where this voice had whispered love to him in a way that was utterly… unsettling.

Dreams?

Callisto’s eyes widened suddenly.

He had long dreamt of the future. It was something that began years ago. Most of these dreams he had shared with Etienne, but he had steadfastly avoided speaking of the ones involving Roen. Except for a single moment of weakness during a torrential storm in the Northern Continent, he had never brought them up. He found them deeply unsettling, and besides, Etienne likely wouldn’t want to hear about them either.

Even so, there were times when Etienne seemed to know exactly what Callisto dreamt of.

“Callie, in your dream, were you happy with that person you loved?”

The unexpected question had caught Callisto off guard, leaving him too bewildered to respond. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind in that moment. Why would Etienne bring this up? Was he jealous? The idea of jealousy was oddly pleasing, but fear overshadowed the feeling. No, Etienne must never know that the person in the dream was Roen.

Time passed as Callisto sat in silence, wrestling with his thoughts. Finally, hesitantly, he stammered, “No… absolutely not. We didn’t last long…”

In truth, they hadn’t separated—Roen had succumbed to an incurable disease, wasting away as his once-fair skin became mottled with dark spots. Despite Callisto’s desperate attempts to save him, Roen coughed blood until his final moments before passing away.

The first time Callisto dreamt of this, he had been left dazed and disoriented all day. While he had long disliked Roen, the thought of him dying in such a manner was distressing. He never wanted to see such a future for anyone, friend or foe.

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