Leave the Villainous Second Male Lead Alone - Chapter 8.18

Without shifting his gaze from the chandelier, Callisto whispered softly.

“I told you already. I don’t seek revenge, nor do I crave the throne.”

His voice grew quieter, almost merging with the air.

“I only wanted to be happy with the person I wish to protect. And Your Majesty stood in my way. That’s all.”

Jeanne’s cold expression twisted with anger. Her face contorted as she let out a bitter laugh.

The trial of Jeanne Valoisna Harrington de Bische—the former empress and, briefly, emperor of Ferron—was swift.

Jeanne confessed to the murder of the late emperor, as well as the assassinations of Marie Louise and the emperor’s other concubines and children. When accused of additional crimes, she merely nodded without resistance. The court unanimously sentenced her to death.

Her only request during the proceedings was to have the name “de Bische” removed from her title. The judge immediately granted it.

By the end of the ten-day trial, the chaotic, war-torn capital had been largely cleaned up. The rubble and ash where the walls once stood were cleared away, and scorched buildings were undergoing repairs. Captured Harrington soldiers who pledged allegiance to the new emperor were ransomed and released. Those who refused…

To mitigate the inevitable challenges, the new cabinet assigned the Winyates Count’s household some extra staff to assist in preparations. The noble heir to the prestigious Armanach Duchy strongly opposed the task but had no choice but to accompany the prospective empress due to his long-standing friendship with the new emperor.

Why am I still suffering like this? Surely, I won’t have to endure this for the rest of my life? Trying to shake off his growing unease, Laurence spoke in a begrudging tone.

“The coronation is a ceremony to proclaim to the entire empire that His Majesty is the new emperor, and to demonstrate imperial dignity. A wedding cannot take place simultaneously.”

But Callisto, still resting his cheek against Etienne’s neck, responded nonchalantly.

“I want to proclaim that Etienne is my consort and show off his dignity as the new empress too.”

“That’s something to be shown at the wedding. At the coronation, you must assert your singular authority as the emperor.”

“If my authority can crumble just because I’m getting married, then it wasn’t worth much to begin with. Don’t you agree, Etienne?”

“You’re not wrong, but…”

Etienne, utterly captivated by Callisto’s sweet demeanor and warm smile, seemed barely aware of what he was saying. Callisto tightened his arm around Etienne’s waist and turned to Laurence with a triumphant grin, as if to say, See?

Laurence, who had dreamed of punching that smug face since childhood, now knew that wish would remain forever unfulfilled with the coronation so close.

“So, Laurence, just persuade them. It’s ridiculous to think the authority of the throne rises with a coronation and falls with a wedding. It’s all meaningless pomp.”

Of course, a royal wedding wouldn’t diminish imperial authority. Laurence’s argument wasn’t against the wedding itself but rather the idea of combining it with the coronation. Callisto, however, deliberately sidestepped the issue to muddy the waters.

“If the cabinet is going to nitpick over trivial matters like this, imagine how much more discord could arise later. Isn’t it better to prevent future disputes now?”

“Hmm…”

Callisto continued his persuasive tirade, punctuating his words with kisses on Etienne’s cheek. Laurence, though tempted to gouge his own eyes out, thought better of it—he had seen worse, and ruining his vision seemed wasteful. Despite himself, Laurence recognized a shred of logic in Callisto’s reasoning.

Though backed by the Winyates family, Callisto had ascended to the throne only after a civil war against the First Prince and a subsequent conflict with the late emperor’s consort. Such discord in the line of succession had already tarnished the imperial family’s prestige. Displaying firm resolve before the coronation might help preempt further challenges from the nobility.

Could Callisto have considered this angle deliberately?

“Etienne, don’t you think so? Don’t you want to marry me as soon as possible?”

“Huh? Well, I wouldn’t say I’m in a rush. It’s only a matter of months…”

“I’ve been waiting since I was seven. Do I have to wait even longer?”

“Haha… Don’t give Laurence such a hard time, Calli.”

No. Clearly, Callisto simply wanted to get married as soon as possible. Laurence sighed inwardly. So much for overthinking.

While the nobles continued to debate the coronation and wedding arrangements, time marched on, and the day of Jeanne’s execution arrived.

A scaffold had been erected in the square before the imperial palace, where a crowd of citizens had gathered. Although he had not yet been officially crowned, Callisto, already assuming imperial duties, also attended the execution. Two chairs had been placed on a red carpet directly facing the scaffold. Arriving hand-in-hand with Etienne, Callisto sat beside his betrothed.

Soon, Jeanne was led out by the prison warden. She wore a tattered gray prison uniform, her hands bound behind her back. Her once-lustrous blonde hair, flowing down to her waist, was the only remaining trace of her former elegance. The warden clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“That hair will get in the way when we behead her. Best to cut it off first.”

“Do as you please,” Jeanne replied indifferently.

The citizens who had cheered for Callisto and Etienne now hurled jeers at Jeanne as she was brought forward. When the warden hacked off her hair with a dagger, the boos grew even louder.

Jeanne ascended the scaffold, stripped of all titles and dignity, as Jeanne Valoisna Harrington.

“The execution of the criminal, Jeanne Valoisna Harrington, shall now commence!”

The executioner, wielding a massive, gleaming axe, bellowed the proclamation. Jeanne lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Callisto’s golden irises staring directly at her.

As if offering a final farewell, Callisto bowed his head respectfully.

“Execute!”

The axe flashed under the sun, and Jeanne’s severed head tumbled to the ground.

The day of the new emperor’s coronation dawned in the middle of a clear and radiant spring. The sky was a vivid blue, dotted with blossoming flowers spilling across the imperial capital.

Callisto and I rode through the city in an open carriage drawn by six white horses. Throngs of people, both those returning to the capital after the civil war and those traveling from distant estates to witness the coronation, gathered to cheer for the new emperor.

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