TBKBS 12

Chapter : 12

He stood there, facing me, silent for a long moment.

Then, all of a sudden, he spun around sharply and walked away from me.

What is he doing?

I tilted my head, puzzled by his inexplicable behavior, as he started striding forward.

I stared blankly at his retreating back.

What now…?

It really looks like he’s running away.

‘!!!!!!!’

Running?

Absurdly, even though his back wasn’t moving any faster than a normal pace, it looked like he was fleeing from me.

Hey!

Who just walks away like that right after confessing?

No manners, huh?

I just kept staring at his back until he completely disappeared from my sight.

Finally, when he was entirely out of view, I came back to my senses.

What kind of situation is this?

It was utterly ridiculous.

But soon I reconsidered.

I thought maybe he was so shocked and moved that he couldn’t speak and left as if fleeing.

Phew…

He must have been so moved that he went into shock.

I’ll tell him more often from now on, so he can get used to it.

Once he gets used to being loved, the terrible tendency to destroy the woman he loves won’t grow, Calix.

I fortified myself with the warm-hearted resolve of a writer looking upon her male lead.

Calix had never felt fear toward anyone, no matter who they were.

For example, he felt no fear or hatred toward the empress’s faction, who tried to push him aside and enthrone Leon as emperor.

They were simply enemies whose goals opposed his.

But then a peculiar woman appeared.

The only daughter of the Brockburk family, Kaelin Brockburk.

Clearly, her goal, like that of the empress’s faction, was Leon’s succession to the throne and her own elevation to empress.

Yet the method she chose completely defied his expectations.

“To use a psychological attack by saying she likes me… and invoke obsession and terrifying possessiveness…”

Calix shivered as he recalled his encounter with Kaelin Brockburk earlier that day.

Of course, just because she, who had been the main cause of the empress and duke joining forces, used a strange psychological tactic, it didn’t pose a real threat to him.

Yet, strangely, Calix felt afraid of her.

Her confession, sparkling eyes, smiling face, and warning of possessiveness somehow seemed genuine, not the act of a fake duke…

The moment he heard her words, a strange sensation coursed through his whole body… and that terrified him.

“Could she really be a master of psychological tactics?”

Terrifying obsession, frightening possessiveness.

Her skill was enough to make him suspect that the mentally unhinged young lady might actually like him, the crown prince.

In that moment, her psychological game stirred strange emotions within him, and he felt his left hand clench involuntarily.

Unaware of the future or his daughter’s feelings, the father continued his close ties with the empress, and Leon often sent flowers and letters.

Fools.

Now even they seem to be getting tired.

Everything dies at the hands of the crown prince!

I did not inform my father of Calix’s warning.

Even if I did, it would only worsen the situation, offering no help.

No matter how much I pondered, unless my father changed his mind, there was no way for me to solve the problems related to him.

At least Calix would soon be in a better state, which was a small comfort.

Since I had confessed my feelings, he would soon break down the walls of his uneasy heart and naturally express his feelings toward me.

In the end, my father’s and Calix’s relationship would have to be resolved later.

Days passed as I gradually adjusted my survival strategies, waiting for Calix’s genuine response.

Meanwhile, something else occurred in my household, completely different from my novel.

That was the presence of a supporting character, Abbie.

Abbie visited our house like a sparrow visiting a mill, spending passionate time with my older brother, Luke.

Sometimes, after visiting Luke’s room and coming to mine, several buttons would be missing.

Apparently, she had begun applying the theoretical knowledge she had read in books to real-life practice.

My otherwise family-friendly novel was now being infiltrated by 19+ content.

I had written Luke as a proper, well-behaved man and a devoted brother, but this… was a complete change of character.

Recently, Luke kept nagging me, warning that men couldn’t be trusted, especially handsome ones—a sincere warning born from his own experience with lack of restraint.

Fortunately, Luke’s room and mine were on the same floor, so Abbie would scurry into my room like a squirrel to sew the missing buttons back before heading home.

Even though she was open-minded and free, she would soon become the next duchess of our house.

She couldn’t have her future servants doing such tasks before marriage.

And these were not ordinary stitches, but buttons that had been completely torn off.

That day too, Abbie came through Luke to my room and proudly showed me the single missing button she had sewn back, chatting excitedly.

“Lyn, shall we go to the opera picnic at Retian Park this weekend?”

“Opera picnic?”

What’s that?

“This weekend’s performance is the season’s opening show.”

“Just you and me?”

I didn’t know what it was, but I played along.

“No, what fun is it if it’s just you and me? Luke… and…”

Ugh, why do they want to drag me along when they’re going to date?

“You and Luke go. Why bring me?”

“How about Grand Duke Leon?”

“What?!!!!”

My voice shot out sharp and high.

“No, Lyn! Why are you so surprised?”

“Grand Duke Leon? Why is he there?! No way!”

Ah, right. Kaelin had been a budding romantic dreamer, not realizing she was nurturing her own little love tree.

Abbie still thought that way.

Now it was time to set things straight.

“I’m not interested in Grand Duke Leon anymore! Not at all! So don’t ever involve me with him, Abbie!”

I spoke firmly.

But Abbie replied with a casual tone and expression, completely detached from my seriousness.

“Got it. Why are you making such a fuss? I was just asking. Anyway, we’re still going to see the opera, right?”

“Ah…”

Seeing Abbie’s slightly displeased face made me realize I had overreacted toward someone who didn’t know better.

But before I could reflect more, her displeasure faded, and she smiled, waiting for my reply.

Feeling embarrassed and sorry, I decided to go along with her.

I didn’t exactly know what an opera picnic entailed, but if it could help me relieve some frustration, it seemed worth it.

“All right. Let’s go!”

With my awkward laugh, the outing to the opera picnic for me, Abbie, and Luke was set.

Over the weekend, we awaited the start of the opera.

The outdoor stage was set up on the park’s expansive lawn, with the Retian River flowing to the right.

I learned that this opera was a public event organized by the royal family, letting nobles and commoners watch for free.

Of course, noble seats were in front, commoners behind.

Retian Park, Retian River…

As we waited, I suddenly remembered something and asked Luke, sitting beside me:

“Luke! Isn’t this the place?”

“Huh?”

“When I was little, I fell into the river. Wasn’t it here?”

This was the spot of the accident that had caused me to move to the rural duchy.

I fell into the Retian River. Since we were playing ball, it must have been in the park.

Luke’s eyes widened.

“Ah!! Right. This was it. I’d forgotten.”

Ah… yes, this park.

Even though I wrote the story, I hadn’t actually seen this place before, so it was amazing to see the park and river from my writing in reality.

Then, I heard rustling grass.

Even in the noble seating, the outdoor park stage had mats on the ground.

The mat we were sitting on was in the exclusive high-ranking noble section, so I assumed the footsteps were also high-ranking nobles.

“Oh! You’re here!”

Abbie stood up, smiling brightly.

Luke also stood.

Who’s here? And standing up too?

I turned in the direction they were looking and instinctively jumped up.

Calix and Grand Duke Leon!

Why did they appear together like that?

Especially Leon… why are you here?

Flustered, I glared at Abbie.

But she didn’t look at me at all, instead bowing politely toward Calix and Leon.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, and Grand Duke, greetings.”

Ugh, Abbie!

What is with that natural demeanor?

She knew the crown prince and duke were coming!

Was I the only one unaware?

Seeing Calix unexpectedly was pleasant, but him being with Leon was awkward.

Does this mean Leon’s legs are fully healed now?

He recovered quickly.

I had to pull myself together and seize the opportunity.

Focus!

Yes, this is a chance!

A chance to give Calix a signal that I could reveal my feelings once more.

Before I knew it, they reached our side.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, and Grand Duke, greetings.”

I mentally shouted “fight!” and bowed to them.

Judging by their expressions, neither Leon nor Calix expected to meet our group.

So they came to this event independently of me?

Leon, fine, but why Calix?

Calix had no interest in events like opera performances.

His interests were the throne, war, and Kaelin.

He didn’t bother hiding his indifference.

Wait a minute!

Calix came to this park? That’s strange.

He avoided this park after the river incident.

Why is he acting differently from the Calix I wrote?

Huh?

But… the seating.

While my mind was tangled with thoughts of Calix, Leon and Calix were already taking seats.

From the right, it was Luke, Abbie, me. My left-side mat was empty, and Leon was trying to sit directly next to me.

No! That can’t happen!

I quickly spoke:

“Your Highness, please sit here! This is the best spot to see… The Grand Duke’s legs may still be uncomfortable, so it would be better to sit slightly further out!”

The mat was essentially the same, so my reasoning was flimsy.

But Calix had to sit next to me.

Leon’s seat was the one I wanted to avoid most.

The two men seemed to understand my true intention.

Leon’s expression stiffened, and Calix’s expression… hmm…

Even stiffer than Leon’s.