LVSMLA 16

Chapter 16

I felt a strange chill and instinctively rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. My fine hairs stood on end. Lawrence was still smiling brightly, but something about him felt different from the “gentle male lead” described in the original story. Even when I met him at the banquet, the way he treated Callisto hadn’t been entirely soft either, which bothered me. Lawrence was supposed to be someone who never gave up on the person he once gave his heart to…

I pushed aside my uneasy thoughts and waited for the tutor, when Callisto suddenly ran into the study excitedly.

“Etienne!”

He rushed at me and wrapped his arms around my waist, making me stagger. If Lawrence hadn’t quickly supported me, I would have fallen backward. I regained my balance, clicked my tongue, and lightly scolded him.

“Kid, that’s dangerous. Be careful.”

“Mm…”

But Callisto just pressed his cheek against my chest, ignoring everything else. I must really be raising him wrong. However, ever since I saw him trembling and crying on a stormy night, I had become unable to treat him strictly. No matter how freely he acted and clung to me, I couldn’t bring myself to push him away.

But this wasn’t a space where only I existed. It wasn’t proper manners, so I was about to say something firmly when Lawrence spoke in a calm voice.

“Etienne almost fell. Be careful, kid.”

“Who are you calling kid?”

“Is there anyone else here who’s a kid besides you?”

“I’m only two years younger than you! If I’m a kid, then you’re a kid too!”

“Two years is a huge difference. I’ve lived hundreds more nights than you.”

Even Callisto, who usually acted childish, and Lawrence, who was normally quite mature, became like children whenever they faced each other. Why did they always act like this? My head started to ache as I tried to stop their argument.

“…Stop it, both of you.”

Still, Lawrence wasn’t entirely wrong. Callisto was technically my little brother, or so he was supposed to become Lawrence’s “kid.” So I could tolerate that much—but then Ibre suddenly interrupted.

“So an illegitimate child will always be an illegitimate child. Look at that rude behavior.”

That was something I absolutely couldn’t tolerate. I tried to stand up and glare at Ibre, but Callisto was hanging onto my waist, so I couldn’t move properly. I sat him down beside me while patting his back. Ibre narrowed his eyes sharply at both of us.

“Why are you keeping something so filthy by your side?”

He kept sneering. I tried to stay calm. I hadn’t yet decided how to deal with Ibre and Count Kamois, so I planned to stay cautious until I found a solution.

But Ibre didn’t help matters.

“Where did that dirty kid crawl out from? Smell that filthy slum stench. Etienne, doesn’t it disgust you? You’ve got a strong stomach.”

Could a 12-year-old really say things like this? I stared at him in disbelief. Ibre looked back at me with a mocking smile.

I almost laughed.

‘The Count clearly told them to get along with me… but I guess he’s just too young to think properly.’

The Count had arranged this gathering so that I and Ibre could form connections. In the original story, Ibre and his group constantly stayed around Etienne. Etienne, who had grown up lonely, was deeply influenced by Ibre and even begged his father to fulfill Ibre’s requests.

But that was because Ibre had used Etienne.

Fortunately, things were different now. Because I had protected Callisto from the beginning, Ibre also treated me rudely instead of manipulating me.

Then I remembered something the Count had said to my father before leaving. I hadn’t paid attention at the time, but he had mentioned a “New Port investment.” It seemed things were already starting.

If so, I needed to separate Count Kamois from my father before things progressed. That project would eventually collapse completely in a few years.

Maybe it was better to cut ties with Ibre entirely. Children’s fights often become adult conflicts.

So I said coldly:

“Of course I have a strong stomach. That’s why I can stand looking at you.”

Ibre’s face twisted in shock. The other children beside him also stiffened.

“What? Dirty? Slum smell?” I continued. “Ibre, whatever you think, Callisto is a member of the Winayets family. He is my real younger brother, no matter what. How dare you talk about him like that?”

Callisto tugged at my sleeve and whispered only to me:

“He’s not your real brother…”

“Be quiet, Calli. I’ll handle this.”

“No, I mean—”

“Shut up, Callisto. Etienne is right.”

“Shut up, you fox.”

Their whispers continued, but I didn’t turn around. My mind had already gone cold.

Then I added:

“Does Count Kamois know his son’s personality is this rotten? Having a successor like this must be difficult.”

“What did you say?”

Ibre stood up angrily.

He walked toward me aggressively. Even though he was twelve, he was quite large for his age. But to me—an adult inside a child’s body—he was still just a kid.

I thought calmly:

‘How many hits would it take for my father to cut ties with the Count?’

One or two wouldn’t be enough. I needed something more dramatic.

So I did not dodge when Ibre swung his fist.

THUD.

My head snapped to the side.

“Etienne!” Lawrence shouted.

Ibre looked surprised. He thought I would dodge. But I stayed standing.

“That’s it? You’re so weak!” he muttered, confused.

I grabbed my cheek and shouted back:

“So this is how the Count’s son behaves? You can’t even throw a proper punch!”

Ibre got angry again and raised his fist.

I closed my eyes.

This time, I would take it properly.

But—

CRACK.

A different sound echoed.

I felt no pain.

I opened my eyes slightly.

“Callisto!”

He had stepped in front of me.

Ibre’s fist had struck him instead. The small boy was knocked aside and slammed into a desk.

Then Ibre climbed on top of him and started beating him repeatedly.

Everything went white in my mind.

“Stop it!”

I rushed forward, but I was too weak to stop him.

Callisto didn’t even scream. He only glared at Ibre through gritted teeth.

“Apologize to Etienne!”

“Because of you, everything is ruined!” Ibre shouted. “Die! Just die!”

Blood covered Callisto’s face.

I hit Ibre’s back desperately.

“Get off him!”

After a struggle, I finally managed to push him back.

“An illegitimate child isn’t even a real noble!” Ibre shouted.

But I didn’t care anymore.

“Leave Callisto alone. Get out. I will never study with you again!”

“Is he really more important than me?”

“Yes. Of course he is.”

Ibre shoved me away.

I fell backward.

My head hit something hard.

“Etienne!”

Everything blurred.

‘Ah… I hit it badly…’

Warm blood flowed down my head.

“Brother! Brother!”

Callisto’s voice echoed.

But I couldn’t respond.

My strength faded.

Everything went dark.

My last thought was:

‘This should be enough to get rid of Ibre…’

And then I lost consciousness.