How to Survive as a Supporting Male Lead - Chapter 14.1
It was different today. Iann quickly adjusted his thoughts. He even felt grateful that the hunting festival was being held in the North, and today no less. Through this hunting festival, he could finally get back at Kallian, who had driven him mad with just a ring. With Yuhwa standing by his side, Iann could puff out his chest with the pride of a peacock.
‘Originally, she would have come as Kallian’s partner, but now she’s mine.’
Suppressing the grin creeping up his face, Iann escorted Yuhwa gracefully to their seats. Yuhwa’s eyes sparkled as she took in the unfamiliar scenery, her attention consumed by the shimmering snow that blanketed everything, refusing to melt despite the warmth.
Relaxing into his chair, Iann began to idly fiddle with his ring. The aquamarine piece, specially chosen for today’s event, gleamed under the sunlight, displaying a transparent sky-blue hue that perfectly complemented his navy-embroidered white formal suit.
Sitting with his head tilted slightly, lips closed in a small smirk, Iann looked like a painting framed against the snowy backdrop. The murmurs from nearby, about how a quiet Iann seemed like an entirely different person, only deepened his satisfied smile.
Slowly twirling the ring, his mind wandered back to Kallian’s audacious visit a fortnight ago, flaunting the very ring he had stolen before making his smug escape. A spike of anger surged within him. Adding insult to injury, he hadn’t yet managed to properly retaliate against Kallian since.
‘Calm down. Calm down, Iann. You’re a sophisticated adult. You’re better than this. Losing your cool over a ring? Pull yourself together. You’re here today, dressed to perfection, precisely to outshine him at this hunting festival.’
Taking deep breaths as Yuhwa had taught him, Iann found himself calming down. He began to understand why people turned to religion.
‘Right. I’m doing great. Breathe in, breathe out… Adult-like… Ah, wait. Did Kallian send another letter today? He did, didn’t he? That lunatic! Writing to brag about the ring, seriously? Hang on. Why am I even trying to calm down? Being mad is justified here! Damn it, you bastard! Writing me letters every day while preparing for this festival—how does that even make sense?’
Iann’s attempt at self-control crumbled. Flames of irritation scorched through him as his sharp blue eyes scanned the festival grounds. If he could find a single flaw in Kallian’s arrangements, he would seize on it immediately. Yet, deep down, he knew better. There was no way Kallian, the ever-efficient male lead, would slip up on his responsibilities just because he had taken the time to send a few mocking letters.
‘Why does he have to be perfect…’
Failing to find fault in the festival, Iann turned his gaze to the entrance. Perhaps glaring at Kallian and mocking him directly would soothe his ire.
“The Duke of Dervel, Kallian Kahn Dervel, arrives!”
Right on cue, Kallian made his entrance. Iann’s eyes snapped to him, ready to dissect every detail of his appearance with venom.
And then realization hit.
‘He’s absurdly beautiful, s**t.’
Today, even Kallian’s looks were unbeatable. No matter how much Iann schemed to overshadow him, the true star of this hunting festival was Kallian. Dressed in a crisp black uniform that accentuated his sharp, well-defined features, Kallian gleamed against the snowy backdrop. He radiated an almost tangible brilliance, looking nothing like someone who had sent a letter at 3:28 a.m.
‘What did he do? Schedule those letters to send automatically?’
Surely Kallian had gone to bed on time and had someone else send the letter. That would explain his impossibly fresh appearance. Meanwhile, Iann had been jolted awake by that useless letter, its content infuriatingly trivial.
Clad in the tailored black uniform, Kallian exuded authority, his striking presence commanding the space. As he strode confidently to the stage, all eyes naturally followed him. His low, steady voice filled the space, its resonance capturing the attention of everyone present.
“Due to urgent imperial matters, His Majesty the Emperor is unable to attend. Thus, as the second commander of the Imperial Knights and the Duke of Dervel, I will commence today’s hunting festival.”
Despite the softness of his tone, every word carried weight. Each syllable demanded focus, and the crowd hung onto his every word. It was moments like these that reminded people why Kallian was revered as the empire’s finest sword.
