Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 7.2

But this was something he could never fully explain to Etienne. Callisto lowered his head and muttered, unsure of what to say. To his surprise, Etienne had simply watched him quietly before making an odd remark.

“If you’re ever faced with a similar situation again, don’t do that. That person wouldn’t have wanted you to live in misery forever. Not that it will happen again, but still. Just in case.”

“What?”

Callisto unconsciously furrowed his brow. He couldn’t immediately comprehend what he had just heard.

Meanwhile, the young imperial consort confidently climbed into a chair beside Callisto and, wearing a resolute expression, began issuing orders in a commanding tone.

“Everyone, sit down!”

Her demeanor resembled that of a general orchestrating a strategic operation. Overwhelmed by her authority, Lawrence hesitantly dragged a chair over and sat down, looking even more flustered than before.

“What is going on here…?”

“Ah, but this is classified, so the officers will need to step out for a moment. We can’t let any intelligence leak!”

The officers, who had been exchanging uncertain glances, quickly exited the room, seemingly relieved. Callisto, on the other hand, found himself wondering when he had ever placed a seven-year-old spy in the First Prince’s palace. Whatever “classified intelligence” the child claimed to have uncovered was likely trivial. There was no need to take her words seriously.

And yet, he couldn’t help but cling to a faint hope. Even if it was an absurd and desperate notion, Callisto couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Lilibet’s words might hold some clue.

“Beth, everyone’s gone now. Speak.”

“Uh, yes, well… here’s the thing!”

Now that she had everyone’s attention, Lilibet seemed to find it hard to begin. She glanced at the unconscious Etienne with a serious expression, her gaze darting around as though assessing the situation. Despite his skepticism, Callisto silently observed her. Lawrence, on the other hand, grew impatient and raised his voice.

“Your Highness, the First Consort, what is the meaning of this? If you have nothing to say, please leave. This is no place for someone from the First Prince’s palace—”

“That’s it! There are several people in the First Prince’s palace who are sick, just like the Duke! They’re people who were confined to the annex recently, and they all fell ill after eating some kind of meat!”

“What?”

Lawrence’s expression turned bewildered at Lilibet’s sudden revelation. Callisto, however, unconsciously leaned toward her. There had to be a reason for her unexpected visit and her claims.

His thoughts raced. The dream where Lawrence suffered from an incurable disease, Etienne exhibiting the same symptoms, and now these newly ill individuals confined in the First Prince’s palace.

“Sick ‘just like the Duke’?”

Callisto murmured her words to himself, as if trying to unravel their meaning.

The scattered pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place. Still, how much could he trust this child—the daughter of the Viscount of Camois? Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have taken her testimony seriously.

But these were not normal circumstances. Callisto’s gaze dropped to Etienne’s sleeping face.

Etienne’s unconscious periods were growing longer. Initially, he had woken up a few hours after collapsing, only to faint again almost immediately. Later, he slept for over a day without stirring.

Now, he only woke occasionally.

Even during those rare moments of wakefulness, his violet eyes were unfocused. It took some time for them to regain clarity before he could recognize Callisto and widen them in acknowledgment.

“Calli, did I fall asleep again?”

“…”

“I must have been tired… I keep feeling so drowsy… There’s so much to do. But what was it I needed to do…?”

During those times, Callisto simply listened to Etienne’s faint murmurs.

He couldn’t bring himself to speak. Etienne’s head, resting against his chest, felt lighter than a feather—weightless. So instead of responding, Callisto pulled him closer, his arms tightening around Etienne’s frail and thinning shoulders.

“If things continue this way, three months—four at most—will be his limit.”

Dr. Woodson’s voice echoed like a haunting whisper in Callisto’s mind. He squeezed his eyes shut.

“Beth, you…”

He inhaled deeply, exhaling with great effort. His entire body felt submerged, weighed down as if trapped underwater. But he needed to regain focus.

Clenching his teeth, he steadied himself. Despite the turmoil in his mind, his voice emerged calm and composed.

“How do you know all this?”

He had spent years mastering the art of remaining unshaken—or at least appearing so. Callisto had grown up in an environment where a single misstep could endanger not just his own life but countless others. Losing his composure was not an option.

Especially not now. If it was Etienne whose life was at stake, Callisto had no choice but to stay calm. His thoughts cooled, sharpening into clarity.

Emboldened by his reaction, Lilibet continued in a resolute tone.

“No one pays attention to Beth in the First Prince’s palace. I don’t have a nurse or an attendant, so…”

“Are you saying there’s no one assigned to care for the imperial consort?” Lawrence asked, incredulous. Though he was aware of the circumstances surrounding her marriage, he hadn’t expected Roen to treat the young consort with such disregard.

“So, I’ve been wandering around the palace,” Lilibet continued. “Something about Roen seemed suspicious, and then I noticed they locked up the annex—this big lock they never used before!”

“You’ve been wandering around the First Prince’s palace on your own? Alone…?” Lawrence muttered in disbelief, but Lilibet ignored him. Instead, she grasped Callisto’s sleeve tightly and excitedly shared her story.

“So I climbed through a window and sneaked in!”

“What? That’s far too dangerous! If the First Prince finds out, he won’t let it slide, no matter how young you are!”

Lilibet’s tale grew increasingly bold, causing Lawrence to exclaim in disbelief. But the young consort refused to back down.

“I’m going to earn merit and marry His Highness, the Second Prince!”

“Excuse me? Marry who?”

“His Highness, the Second Prince! I’m going to marry him!”

“Absolutely not! What nonsense is this? That’s impossible, Your Highness!”

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