TBKBS 31

Chapter : 31

Am I going to die of illness like Kaelyn’s mother?

No, wait—why am I believing everything this woman says?

She said if I choose well, I’ll live, but then she says even if I choose well, I might still die…

Is she just playing word games?

What nonsense! Isn’t she just a quack, a scammer?!

But then, as if she had heard my thoughts, the woman said:

“I only say what I see.”

I flinched a little.

“Then what am I supposed to do? If I can die even when I choose well, what’s the actual chance of surviving?”

If choosing wrong means death, and choosing right still might mean death… then what, am I doomed no matter what?!

“If you don’t want to die, buy a talisman.”

“…What?”

Seriously?

So this was it?

She was just trying to sell me something?

Unbelievable.

Even though my expression had clearly shifted, the woman ignored it and pointed at several necklaces strung with different colored stones.

“That red stone over there. Buy that one.”

Among all the stones, she pointed to the largest.

It stood out—bigger and heavier than the rest.

That’s supposed to be a talisman?

Hah! I get it.

That must be the most expensive one.

Clearly, she had noticed my clothes and guessed I was the daughter of a wealthy household.

Curious to see what outrageous price she would name for something that was, after all, just a stone (even if oddly red), I asked her.

The number she said was beyond anything I had imagined. It was astronomically expensive—far more than what I thought a rock could cost.

Shocked at the absurdity, I shot to my feet.

That was when the woman said softly:

“It’s the price of your life… quite cheap, really.”

Tch! What nonsense.

What kind of stone costs as much as a carriage?!

“I don’t need it!”

I spat the words and turned to leave the room.

But as I was already walking away, her gentle voice clung to my back:

“A person run over by a carriage… has to pay at least the price of the carriage to ward it off.”

!!!!!

Did I… say out loud that it cost as much as a carriage?

Why does she keep sounding like she can hear my thoughts?

A chill ran through me.

I had to get out.

I rushed from the room, shivering.

But the moment I stepped outside, a realization slammed into me.

Run over by a carriage…!!!!

A carriage—that meant a car!

That’s how I died!

I was hit by a car!

I dashed back into the room, heart racing.

“I’ll buy it!”

The woman looked at me, completely calm, as if she had expected it.

“Of course. In this life, luck or not, you were destined to die.”

Even if her eerily precise words weren’t true, I couldn’t afford to risk it. If it meant changing my fate and surviving, what was the price of a carriage compared to that?

Besides, I had money.

Even if it was a scam, better safe than sorry.

The stone was so big that when I hung it around my neck, it felt like it was pulling my body forward.

“Always keep it with you.”

Always?

Isn’t it too heavy for that?

But… I can manage.

“Fine, thank you. I’ll do that.”

Wearing the heavy necklace, I stepped out of the fortune-teller’s place.

The next day, as soon as I left home and entered the walking path, I froze.

Calix was standing there.

What the—? I thought I’d never see him again, but now he’s just popping up everywhere. He even collapsed in the park last time!

What’s with him?

Come to think of it, is his health okay now?

Is my male lead getting frail?

“Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Yes… Kaelyn.”

Kaelyn?

Normally, he would only acknowledge my greetings with a brief nod. But now, he spoke my name and walked closer.

Why is he calling me by name all of a sudden?

So strange.

“What brings Your Highness here…?”

“I was waiting for you.”

“…Pardon?”

Waiting… for me?

Did he have something to say to me?

Then… was the time he showed up at the park also because he was looking for me?

Hearing that he had been waiting for me, my heart began to race.

“You didn’t go to the library yesterday.”

!!!!!

I was shocked.

He knew yesterday was my library day?

He was right—I was supposed to go yesterday.

But instead, I went with Aibi to that fortune-teller.

So… was he at the library waiting for me?

And now, here he was, saying he’d waited again.

It was unnerving.

Creepy, even.

But I quickly shook it off.

After all, he doesn’t like me.

He’s just watching my father, and probably still has Rajif spying on my every move.

Even if I no longer marry Leon, I’m still in Everetian territory, so of course he won’t let his guard down.

Thank goodness I’m marrying Eden instead.

Once I leave, I’ll finally be free of his shadow.

Steeling myself, I asked politely:

“Has Your Highness recovered? You fainted before…”

“I’m fine.”

His face stiffened at my question, so I quickly changed the subject.

Can’t risk offending him—not when I haven’t yet escaped to the Darkus Empire.

“Since Your Highness said you were waiting for me, what did you wish to discuss?”

Surely he knows that I don’t feel comfortable around him.

So why wait for me? What could he possibly have to say?

“I need to ask you something.”

Ask me?

My tension spiked.

“Yes, Your Highness. Please.”

“Was everything you said to me a lie?”

“…What do you mean?”

A lie?

What lies had I told him?

“Didn’t you say you liked me? More than once.”

“!!!!”

My body went rigid.

Why bring that up now?

That was in the past.

Is he asking if my feelings were fake—because now I’m marrying Eden?

Fine. Yes, it was a lie.

I didn’t like you.

So what!

Even if I had liked you, people’s feelings can change in an instant. Why harp on it now?

You didn’t even care about me—so why does it matter?

If you thought I was just a fickle woman, you could’ve left it at that. Why confront me?

But of course, I couldn’t say all of this out loud.

So I stayed silent.

Then Calix spoke again:

“Answer me.”

The determination in his tone was clear—he wouldn’t let me avoid it.

What should I say?

That I liked him once, but my feelings changed?

No, that wouldn’t do.

I remembered his expression back then—how displeased he’d been when I confessed.

He’d looked at me with such disdain, as though my words were ridiculous.

I couldn’t risk upsetting him again.

I needed to choose my answer carefully.

“…Forgive me, Your Highness. I was mistaken at the time. What I meant as respect, I expressed poorly, as if it were something else.”

“……”

His expression didn’t change.

So I carefully continued:

“It wasn’t a lie. I simply realized later that admiration is different from love. That was my mistake.”

That should keep him from being offended, right?

I added quickly:

“And now, Your Highness needn’t worry at all. Soon, I’ll be leaving Everetian. There will be no chance for me to say strange things to you again.”

That was perfect, wasn’t it?

I’d explained the past as a misunderstanding, reassured him I wasn’t interested, and promised I’d be gone.

“So… you’ll leave when you marry. With Eden Darkus. And never return… ever again.”

He really wanted confirmation.

Going so far as to block my path in front of my house.

“Yes, I won’t return. You’ll never have to see me or hear nonsense from me again, so please rest assured, Your Highness.”

I made my words as formal and final as possible.

I’m never coming back.

I’ll live happily elsewhere.

But despite my assurances, his expression didn’t improve.

Wait—don’t tell me…

Could it be?

When I liked him, he didn’t care. But now that I’m marrying someone else, he resents it?

Doesn’t want me, but doesn’t want anyone else to have me either?

That’s such a trashy attitude…

No, no! That can’t be it.

He’s the male lead.

My male lead can’t be that petty.

I never wrote him to be that way. He obsesses over the woman he loves, not some random girl he doesn’t care about.

As I studied his face, Calix remained silent.

But his expression was undeniably dark.

Maybe it was time to end this encounter.

“Your Highness, may I continue my walk now?”

“Kaelyn.”

Why does he keep calling me by name?

“Yes?”

“May I walk with you?”

“…What?”

WHY?!

Why would he want to walk with me?!

Ugh…

But if the Crown Prince asks, how could I refuse?

Not that he needed my permission—he was already walking down the path without waiting for an answer.

So I had no choice but to follow behind him.

“….”

“….”

Only our footsteps echoed.

This silence was unbearable.

How long was he planning to walk with me like this?

“Kaelyn.”

“Yes?”

Startled, I replied instantly—almost at the same time he called my name.