Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 8.16

Lawrence and I exchanged uneasy glances. Callisto wasn’t exactly known for keeping a safe distance. Brine, too, seemed to share our doubts, her lips pressed into a firm line.

“Still… he wouldn’t actually bring down the entire wall, right?”

Lawrence’s hesitant words broke the silence. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that even Callisto would go that far.

“The wall is a symbol of the Ferron Empire. If it collapses, will the people accept a prince who destroyed their fortress as emperor? To be recognized as the new emperor, Callisto can’t destroy the walls.”

It was a sound argument.

The fortress walls surrounding the capital had always symbolized the emperor’s authority. Newly crowned emperors traditionally began their reign by restoring the walls, reinforcing their legacy.

For centuries, the triple-layered walls of the Ferron royal family had stood tall, an enduring testament to their strength. For a royal heir to demolish them with his own hands… it would mean rejecting his own legitimacy.

But that’s assuming the heir in question is rational.

“Etienne, why aren’t you saying anything? I’m right… right?”

Lawrence’s voice was tinged with worry as he looked between Brine and me. But neither of us could muster the reassurance he was seeking.

And then, from the direction of Callisto’s forces, another earth-shaking roar echoed.

Lawrence’s face turned pale, and Brine, trying to maintain her composure, spoke calmly.

“No matter how powerful the new cannons are, they won’t be able to destroy all three layers of the wall. At most, the outer wall… maybe even the second wall if we’re lucky.”

Even Brine, however, didn’t seem convinced that Callisto wouldn’t try to bring down the entire structure. Still, her words provided a sliver of hope. If even one layer of the wall remained intact, it could be repaired, ensuring the walls weren’t entirely lost.

That sliver of optimism didn’t last long, though, as Lawrence muttered ominously, his face still pale.

“Do you think Callisto would settle for that?”

Meanwhile, the adjutant couldn’t help but notice how exhilarated Callisto seemed.

“Keep firing! It doesn’t even matter where you aim—just hit anything, and it’ll count as a direct hit!”

It wasn’t just Callisto. The entire camp had an air of excitement.

Once several large cannons atop the wall had exploded, Harrington’s forces didn’t dare try firing again. Every cannon that shattered left dozens of soldiers dead and widened the cracks in the walls. Initially, Callisto had them target specific damaged sections, but as more parts of the wall began to crumble, he changed his approach.

“It doesn’t matter where you fire anymore. Just keep hitting it.”

With such a massive target, every shot landed, dealing significant damage. Soldiers atop the wall tried to retaliate with crossbows and rifles, but they were too preoccupied dodging relentless barrages to mount an effective counterattack.

The bombardment continued for days.

The sky turned a hazy gray from the dust and debris. The explosions were so constant that even during brief lulls, the adjutant thought he could still hear the sound ringing in his ears. Restless, he tapped his palm against his ear, wondering if his hearing had been damaged.

It was then that Callisto, arms crossed and glaring at the wall, suddenly snapped.

“Why hasn’t that thing come down yet?”

“You… actually plan to destroy the entire wall?”

The outer wall was almost completely destroyed, the second wall was badly damaged, but the inner wall still stood tall and firm—a testament to the centuries of protection it had provided the Ferron Empire.

That symbol of imperial pride, the very emblem of the royal family’s authority, was now something Callisto—the last remaining prince—was desperate to obliterate.

Caught off guard by his commander’s sudden outburst, the adjutant could only stare blankly. Then, noticing how even after days without proper rest or grooming, Callisto’s features were still as striking as a marble statue, he quickly looked away, startled.

Callisto, however, frowned deeply, biting his lower lip as if weighing his next move.

“This isn’t working. We’ll pause the assault for a few days.”

“What? Oh… Yes, sir.”

The adjutant didn’t understand why Callisto wanted to stop the attack, which had been progressing smoothly. But, given his commander’s penchant for unpredictable plans, he merely nodded and braced himself.

Sure enough, an unusual order soon followed.

“Go to Etienne right now.”

“You mean… His Grace?”

For a moment, the adjutant wondered if his commander had suddenly felt the urge to confess his undying love mid-war. But then he remembered that with Callisto, “surely not” wasn’t always safe to assume and shivered.

Fortunately, this time, the order seemed practical.

“Tell him to send every miner from the Winyates mines here immediately. As many as possible, as quickly as possible.”

Practical… maybe. The adjutant wasn’t entirely sure. But he had long since learned to treat Callisto as the brain while he acted as the hands and feet.

He saluted.

“Yes, sir!”

“Oh, and when you see Etienne.”

As the adjutant turned to leave, Callisto’s soft voice stopped him.

“Yes, sir?”

When their eyes met, Callisto’s cheeks reddened slightly. Looking down as though embarrassed, he murmured quietly.

“Tell him I miss him.”

“…Understood, sir.”

When the adjutant relayed Callisto’s request to Etienne, the latter raised an eyebrow.

“Miners, you say?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“I see. So, he really intends to blow up the wall.”

“Pardon?”

The adjutant stared at him, confused, but Etienne waved off the question without elaborating.

The adjutant, loyal as ever, then hesitantly delivered Callisto’s second message.

“Also, um… His Highness wanted me to tell you that he misses you, Your Grace.”

Etienne’s eyes widened briefly, then softened. He broke into a chuckle before muttering,

“So, he plans to smooth this over with charm.”

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