LVSMLA 17

Chapter 17

He felt like his whole body had been beaten. There wasn’t a single place that didn’t hurt. When I finally woke up from a shallow sleep and forced my heavy eyelids open, bright sunlight poured into the room, and Callisto was lying there.

He was lying face down on the bed, turned toward me. His face was covered in red and purple bruises. One eye was darkened, and his cheeks were swollen and discolored. Even at a glance, he looked like he was in pain, so I couldn’t even bring myself to touch him.

I looked at Callisto for a moment and reached for the bell to call a servant. But sensing movement, Callisto suddenly opened his eyes.

“Hyung!”

He shot up and threw his arms around my waist, hugging me tightly. His voice was hoarse and broken, like he had been crying for a long time. I sighed and gently patted his back. His small body trembled under my hand.

Today’s events had largely been intentional on my part. I had deliberately provoked Ivry and made him hit me. If the partnership between Viscount Camoys and my father fell apart because of this, that would be ideal. Even if not, I planned to create tension between them. But I didn’t expect Ivry—just a child himself—to act so violently toward Callisto.

In the end, it was my fault. Looking at Callisto’s bruised body, I didn’t feel good at all.

“Callisto, are you okay—cough.”

I tried to ask if he was okay, but my voice was already rough and cracked, and it was cut off by a cough. The back of my head also throbbed slightly.

“Hyung, does it hurt a lot? Then don’t talk! Talking will make it worse!”

Callisto panicked and gently rubbed my neck. I couldn’t help but laugh even while coughing. His small hand felt like it was trying to heal me.

Then he carefully brought a teacup from the side table and held it out to me. It was warm herbal tea mixed with honey.

“Drink this first. Doctor Woodson said you should drink a lot.”

“Doctor Woodson came? What did he say about you…?”

“Don’t talk! Why don’t you listen?!”

“….”

He was so small, yet his face was red as he scolded me. I laughed helplessly and obediently took a sip of the sweet herbal tea. The warmth spread through my body, making me feel much better. Callisto watched me carefully and asked cautiously.

“Does it still hurt a lot?”

“No, I’m fine now. Thanks.”

He looked far more injured than I was, yet he kept worrying about me. It was both cute and heartbreaking.

Callisto had lived alone on the streets of the slums before coming to the count’s family, so he didn’t know how to take care of his own body. In the original story, after enduring abuse from Etienne, he eventually grew into someone who couldn’t properly feel pain or express it.

I didn’t want Callisto to grow up like that.

A child should be able to say they are hurt when they are hurt, and say they are struggling when they are struggling.

I gently held Callisto’s cheeks and looked him over.

“Let me see your face, kid. It must have hurt a lot.”

“No. I’m grown up now, so I don’t hurt at all…”

“Even grown-ups get hurt when they’re hurt. It’s okay to be in pain. Take your medicine from Doctor Woodson and get better soon, okay?”

“Uhh….”

Only then did Callisto nod hesitantly. I brushed his bangs back and kissed his forehead. His cheeks turned even redder, like a ripe apple.

“Are you really okay? If it hurts, I’ll blow on it.”

Then Callisto, still touching his forehead, quickly answered.

“It actually hurts a little.”

“Where hurts the most?”

“Here—my eyes and my cheeks.”

“Look at all these bruises. That bastard. Who hits a child like this?”

“I’m not a baby…”

Every time I gently blew on his bruised eyes and cheeks, his long eyelashes trembled. I felt anger rising in me. Ivry, as expected of a villain in the original story, already showed rotten tendencies.

“Don’t just attack people recklessly next time. That was dangerous. I’ll make sure that guy is kicked out.”

While I was applying the ointment that Doctor Woodson had left behind, Count Wynyeats came to visit. He looked quite shaken by the incident.

It made sense. Callisto had been struck, and I had even been knocked unconscious after being pushed.

“Etienne, how are you feeling?”

“My head hurts a bit in the back, but I’m fine. Callisto is worse than me.”

“…I see. Callisto must be in a lot of pain too.”

The Count’s gaze toward Callisto was gentle. He had heard that Callisto had tried to protect me from Ivry and got hurt instead.

Since the Count had come, there was something I needed to address. This was the whole reason I had caused such a big incident.

“Father… do we still have to attend classes with Ivry?”

The Count’s face hardened. I had worried he would hesitate, but he shook his head firmly.

“No. The Camoys viscount’s son will no longer be allowed into the Wynyeats estate. Such a violent child… what if something serious had happened?”

“I see… that’s a relief.”

My original goal had been to separate them, but the Count had already made the decision himself.

Then he continued.

“This matter has already been submitted to the Noble Court. Once a ruling is made, appropriate measures will be taken against Ivry.”

“The Noble Court?”

I widened my eyes in surprise. I had expected him to simply reprimand the viscount, not escalate it this far.

This meant the relationship with Camoys was about to break beyond repair.

Still, it was better this way.

While pretending to worry, I carefully asked:

“Then… what about the partnership with Viscount Camoys? The new port investment project?”

The Count looked slightly surprised.

I continued seriously:

“It’s a large-scale project. If it fails, it could shake the family’s finances. Wouldn’t it be better to cancel the partnership now…?”

The Count seemed taken aback.

Then he said:

“Do you really think about such things?”

He explained that the eastern continent trade was like a golden goose. If the new large port was built, it would bring enormous profits.

And indeed, that was true.

This empire bordered a narrow sea leading to the vast Eastern Continent, and trade with it was booming.

A major new port would generate immense wealth for the territory.

However, there was something the Count did not know.

In a few years, just as the construction of that port would be completed—

a major disaster would strike the Eastern Continent.

And the entire trade route would be completely blocked.