LVSMLA 02

Chapter 02

“Young master, are you still not fully awake? I think you should hurry.”

I must have looked spaced out while mourning the future fate of the villainous secondary male lead that awaited me. After wandering mentally through the 21st century, I only came back to my senses when Elsie urged me again. I slowly blinked and looked up at her.

Come to think of it, Elsie seemed unusually hurried today.

“What’s wrong? Don’t I only have afternoon classes today?”

Now that I had become the heir of a count’s family, the carefree life of sleeping in was over. But did I really have to rush like this even on a day without morning classes?

When I looked at her with a dissatisfied expression, Elsie spoke with a stern face.

“The count is returning today. Did you forget?”

“…Ah.”

I forgot.

My face instantly turned pale. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten something this important.

The novel The Prince’s Sword revolves around the protagonist, Prince Callisto. Because of that, the life of Etienne—who is only a supporting character—is not described in detail.

‘You say he’s your favorite character, yet you wrote him this lazily. It would’ve been nice if you’d explained when things happened in more detail.’

I clicked my tongue as I recalled Author H, who had stubbornly insisted that Etienne wouldn’t die. That was separate from the fact that I wanted to kick myself for persuading the author and ultimately giving Etienne such a miserable death.

But the original story really contained very little information about Etienne.

Still, among the events related to Etienne, there were some scenes that were described in detail—specifically the ones involving the main male lead, Callisto. For example, the day Callisto first arrives at the Winyeats estate with the count and meets Etienne.

That day was today.

Hesitating slightly, I asked Elsie,

“Elsie, didn’t Father say in his letter that he was bringing someone with him?”

“Ah… yes, that’s right. Um, the count said he would bring someone he intends to sponsor.”

Elsie trailed off while carefully watching my reaction.

“Someone he intends to sponsor,” huh.

It seemed that was how they planned to explain it to Etienne for now. Knowing that Callisto would enter this house as the count’s illegitimate child, I gave a bitter smile and nodded.

“There, all done. You look very pretty today, young master.”

“What do you mean pretty? There are plenty of people far prettier than me.”

“What are you talking about? In my eyes, you’re the prettiest of all.”

Elsie answered soothingly, but I meant it seriously. Because soon, someone far prettier than me would appear in this mansion.

In the original story, Callisto—the main male lead—was famous as a rare beauty in the empire. With his tall stature, slender body, and elegant yet dazzling face, he captured everyone’s attention wherever he went.

‘They said he was a peerless beauty, didn’t they? Honestly, Author H’s tastes are so predictable.’

Author H’s love for beautiful male leads was famous even in the publishing company. And this work was no exception. That was why I was actually looking forward to meeting Callisto.

Beautiful people were always pleasing to the eye.

It would’ve been perfect… if that beauty wasn’t destined to kill me.

“You should look in the mirror too, young master. See how pretty you are?”

At Elsie’s gentle suggestion, I lifted my head. My face appeared in the mirror with its ornate frame. I stared quietly at the reflection.

Neatly trimmed silver hair covering my forehead.
A tiny face that could almost be hidden in a single hand.
Flawless skin like white jade without a single blemish.
Large round violet eyes.
Soft, plump lips tinted a faint red.

It was a bright and charming appearance. For a twelve-year-old, it was true that I was quite cute and pretty.

But the comparison target was Callisto—the greatest beauty in the empire. Compared to him, Etienne would surely look ordinary.

Still, there was no need to force my opinion on my nanny who believed Etienne was the best in the world. I simply smiled softly and shook my head.

“Alright. Everything Elsie says is right.”

“Of course it is.”

Elsie replied confidently as she tidied my hair neatly.

Not long after, a maid came upstairs to announce that the count had arrived.

With a tense expression, I headed toward the reception room on the first floor of the mansion. When I arrived in the antique room surrounded by massive bookshelves, a dignified middle-aged man looked at me.

Etienne’s father, Count William Winyeats.

“Etienne, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“Yes, Father. I’m glad you’ve returned safely.”

I bent slightly at the waist in greeting. Then I looked at the count while searching my memory.

In the original story, the count’s role was not large. Especially in the early part of the novel, he was simply mentioned as the benefactor who brought Callisto—who had been wandering the slums—and raised him as his illegitimate child until he became an adult.

In a sense, he was Callisto’s savior.

If not for the count, Callisto wouldn’t have become crown prince. He probably would have died on the streets—either bitten by stray dogs or from starvation.

Unfortunately, the count’s own ending wasn’t good.

Although he was a kind and noble man, he sadly lacked the insight to keep up with the times. Later in the story, he made a disastrous investment and lost all the vast wealth of the Winyeats family, leading to their complete downfall.

Fortunately, the family’s assets were still safe for now, and their influence remained strong.

“Come here, Etienne. Let me see your face.”

Following the count’s gesture, I sat on the sofa in front of him. The count seemed to love his son dearly and looked very happy to see me. However, he was also glancing at me nervously.

The reason was easy to guess.

‘Because he has to talk about bringing home an illegitimate child.’

As expected, the count couldn’t bring himself to mention Callisto.

Since he hesitated, I decided to help him out.

I smiled as brightly as possible and spoke first.

“Father, didn’t you say you were bringing a child to sponsor? That’s what your letter said.”

“Hm? Ah… yes. I did bring the child. But, Etienne…”

It seemed the count couldn’t gather the courage to say that the child was my half-brother.

In fact, in the original story, Etienne only learned that Callisto was an illegitimate child after overhearing visiting nobles whispering about it.

Would things have been different if the count had told Etienne honestly from the beginning?

Hearing it directly from your father and hearing it through gossip surely felt different.

But as I searched my memory further, I recalled that Etienne had hated Callisto from the very first moment he arrived. Apparently he had simply disliked the sudden newcomer for no particular reason.

But I wasn’t the real Etienne.

I had no resentment whatsoever toward the count’s “illegitimate child.” My top priority was survival. I could treat Callisto like my own younger brother if necessary.

Smiling brightly, I asked,

“Where is he? I’d like to meet him.”

The count looked at me for a moment before giving an order to the footman.

“Jamie, bring Callisto here.”

“Yes, my lord.”

A moment later, the reception room door opened.

I turned my head toward the sound.

There stood a small boy, his shoulders hunched, whose head barely reached my chest.

The child looked extremely shabby. I knew he was seven years old, but even with generous estimation he looked only about five.

Just how much hardship had he endured to be so small and thin?

I felt sorry for him.

Yet his large eyes, sharp nose, and plump red lips were incredibly lovely. He looked as if someone had carefully sculpted a doll.

‘Author H really has one consistent taste…’

Once again I admired the author’s taste as I looked at the boy.

The count called him gently.

“Callisto. Come here. This is my son, Etienne. I hope you two will get along.”

“Yes, Count.”

Callisto answered quietly and approached the sofa where we were sitting.

He glanced once at the count and once at me before lowering his eyes obediently. The shy expression on his face made him look like a baby bird.

I loved children to begin with, so I completely forgot that this child would someday become the obsessive tyrant who held my life in his hands.

“Wow, Father. He’s really cute. His name is Callisto?”

“That’s right. Think of him… as your younger brother, Etienne. Please treat him well.”

The count’s expression darkened slightly, likely worried about the day he would have to reveal that Callisto was truly my half-brother.

Even though Callisto wasn’t really his biological child—he was actually the emperor’s son—the count still had to hurt his own son to protect him. That must have been painful.

But the count was too kind-hearted to ignore a prince abandoned in the streets.

To ease his worries, I smiled warmly at Callisto.

Even if the count revealed that Callisto was my half-brother, my attitude wouldn’t change.

After all, I was in the position of needing to make a good impression on Callisto.

Ever since I transmigrated into Etienne’s body, I had thought long and hard about how to survive in this world.

And the conclusion I reached was simple:

Stick to Callisto.

There were two reasons why Callisto hated Etienne in the original story.

First, Etienne was the secondary male lead who loved the main character.

Second, Etienne hated and bullied Callisto while they grew up together in the count’s household.

I had absolutely no intention of stealing the protagonist from Callisto.

Yes, I was gay—but I wasn’t stupid enough to plant my own death flag.

So the first problem was naturally solved.

The second still had hope.

After all, this was our first meeting. If I behaved well from now on, things could change.

I wasn’t really the twelve-year-old Etienne who believed Callisto was merely a half-brother. In reality, I was twenty-eight years old. There was no way I would bully a child.

In the original story, Callisto grew up to have a cruel and cold personality as striking as his beauty.

That was only natural.

A child raised in hatred and abuse rarely becomes a kind adult.

But if I carefully took care of young Callisto and raised him into a gentle, affectionate male lead, maybe I could completely change the original storyline.

Maybe it would even escape the tragic genre.

If Callisto and the main character ended up living happily together, my own survival chances would rise too. That was my calculation.

Callisto was still young.

I had plenty of time.

Before meeting him, I had repeated the same vow to myself every night before going to sleep.

〈Never become enemies with Callisto!〉

Reaffirming my determination, I asked him gently,

“I’m Etienne. Callisto, right? That’s a beautiful name. It suits you.”

But then…

‘Everything is fine, but why is he looking at me like that?’

Callisto had just arrived at the estate today. There had been absolutely nothing between us yet.

And yet the way he looked at me felt strange.

For such a small child, his gaze was incredibly sharp—almost glaring at me.

He hadn’t looked like that when he spoke to the count just moments ago.

‘What is going on?’

Startled, I stared down at Callisto’s small face.