Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 8.14

The soldiers, still unfamiliar with the newly designed cannons, fumbled with their preparations. Watching this slow progress, the adjutant’s frustration mounted, while Callisto remained unbothered, even starting a casual conversation.

“There’s no need to rush. Stay calm and proceed methodically.”

“Commander…”

The adjutant let out a groan, rubbing his aching forehead. Then, Callisto suddenly raised his right hand, his sharp gaze fixed on the cannons atop the fortress walls.

“Wait. Just once more… No, maybe twice. Have them hold fire for now.”

“Hold fire, sir? You mean to wait instead of retaliating?”

The adjutant felt his face stiffen. They were in a situation where an immediate counterattack was necessary, yet Callisto was ordering them to wait for another assault. Suppressing the growing tension in his chest, the adjutant looked up at Callisto. The commander’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the cannons swaying precariously on the fortress walls.

“They’re… shaking?”

The adjutant blinked, startled by his own realization. Following Callisto’s line of sight, he saw that the cannons, which had just fired, were indeed wobbling more violently than before.

“…Understood, Commander.”

Finally, the adjutant saluted sharply and passed along the order.

“Cease cannon operations and hold your positions! Everyone, retreat to the trenches!”

“All units, hold!”

“All units, hold!”

As the soldiers withdrew and took cover in the trenches, another deafening explosion erupted from the fortress walls. For once—finally!—Callisto deemed it prudent to seek cover himself.

Boom! Crash!

Rumble!

This time, the deafening sound came not from the field but from the fortress walls themselves. The entire structure seemed to tremble under the force of the blast.

“Ahhh!”

“Help! Aaaah!”

Screams of terror echoed from above. The adjutant craned his neck and gaped in astonishment.

Two of the massive cannons on the fortress walls had exploded, along with several smaller ones. Shattered metal fragments scattered in all directions, striking soldiers and walls alike with devastating force. Those unfortunate enough to be hit fell with pained cries, many tumbling from the heights to their deaths. The explosions had also damaged sections of the walls, leaving gaping, jagged holes.

While the adjutant stood frozen in horror, Callisto found his thoughts drifting back to Etienne.

That night, Callisto had been consumed by thoughts of how to breach the fortress walls encircling the imperial palace.

Etienne had provided ample supplies of new bronze cannons, but the challenge lay in transitioning from naval warfare to a siege. The enemy’s higher vantage point meant their bombardments would have far greater power and accuracy than Callisto’s forces could muster by firing upward from below.

As the attackers drew closer to the fortress, the defenders would gain an even greater advantage. Even with trenches to provide cover, it would be nearly impossible to avoid incoming fire for an extended period. Siege warfare could drag on for months, and trenches alone would not sustain them through such a prolonged campaign.

The fortress’s triple-layered walls were said to be nearly impenetrable, with even a single layer capable of holding back a thousand soldiers. Breaking through in a short time seemed almost unthinkable.

The only remaining strategy was to set up camp at a distance and gradually advance toward the fortress, building new trenches and repositioning cannons with each step forward. However, this method was labor-intensive and predictable. Once the enemy caught on to the pattern, they would undoubtedly launch preemptive strikes every time Callisto’s soldiers attempted to dig. Losing soldiers to shovels rather than swords was not an option.

Risk was unavoidable. Callisto clicked his tongue, recalling Etienne’s relentless emphasis on safety. Perhaps the best course was to act first and plead for forgiveness later, using all the charm he could muster to soften Etienne’s inevitable disapproval—assuming, of course, he survived to make that plea.

The sound of movement outside the command tent interrupted Callisto’s thoughts. The sentry on duty quickly stood and saluted.

“Your Grace!”

“Apologies for dropping by unannounced. Is Calli asleep?”

The voice was warm and gentle, far too soft and kind for Callisto’s liking. Annoyed, he stormed outside, grabbing Etienne’s hand and pulling him along. Both Etienne and the startled sentry stared at him in surprise.

“Calli, you’re awake?”

“Brother, don’t be so… friendly with others.”

Don’t be so sweet to everyone else, he wanted to say but bit his tongue, worried it would make him seem petty. It wasn’t entirely untrue, nor was his possessiveness a secret, but he saw no reason to admit it outright. After years of holding back, his tongue was practically raw from being bitten so often.

“What’s wrong, brother? Tomorrow will be taxing; you should rest.”

“You’re the one who’ll have it rough. I’ll be fine. Let’s talk inside.”

Etienne smiled casually and headed into the tent. Callisto threw a glare at the sentry—earning a deeply aggrieved look in return—before following Etienne inside.

“How do you plan to attack tomorrow? Can you share your strategy?”

“Um…”

In truth, Callisto intended to infiltrate the fortress with the Gillos siblings and a select group of officers.

The imperial fortress had three massive gates: the north, south, and east entrances, all heavily guarded by Harrington forces. If Callisto could breach just one, his soldiers could pour into the fortress.

Initially, he had planned to use the new bronze cannons to target the gates. However, tests revealed that while the cannons had impressive range and power, their accuracy left much to be desired.

Even with a lucky hit, the thick gates wouldn’t collapse entirely, only leaving a small opening. A narrow breach would turn his soldiers into easy targets for Harrington’s archers as they filed through. However, if Callisto and a handful of skilled officers could slip through that opening, they could attack from within and open the gates for the main force.

It was a risky plan, but Callisto had confidence in its success. Still, he knew Etienne would vehemently oppose it. Hesitating, he avoided answering directly.

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