TBKBS 39

Chapter : 39

Were you blushing earlier because you thought I came to give an answer to your marriage proposal?

Now is not the time for that! It’s not about the proposal!

Even having different dreams at the same time has its limits.

Seeing the temperature difference between him, dreaming of a reply to his proposal, and me, begging for my life, made my words feel like they were about to vanish back into my throat.

But now, there was nowhere left to retreat.

At any moment, news of the outbreak of war could arrive.

I took a deep breath and finally spoke.

“Lord Calix! Please, please, listen to what I’m about to say, and show even a little mercy for me, my father, and my brother.”

But as expected, Calix’s face stiffened instantly upon hearing my words.

His expression turned completely cold at what I said—far from what he expected.

Seeing his face, my courage wavered again.

I have to speak!

I can’t let him feel betrayed without explanation.

I have to say it, no matter what.

“You didn’t come to give an answer to the proposal.”

Yes, that’s right! I’m not here for marriage—I’m standing at the crossroads of life and death!

“That’s not it. I… I came to ask you for something else.”

I have to say what that “something else” is.

Don’t lose courage!

“Give me an answer to the proposal first. Then I’ll hear your request.”

What? An answer?

No!

Now is not the time!

There’s a war!

My father is going to strike against you!

“No, Lord Calix. Please hear me first. We can talk about the proposal later.”

“No! I can’t. If you want to ask me for something, answer first.”

His voice had become strict and decisive.

This isn’t the time for that.

Besides, even if I said I’d marry you now, you’d marry Estelle anyway.

You’d fall in love with Estelle and marry her.

But seeing his stiffened face with arms crossed, I realized that unless I answered about the proposal, he had no intention of talking to me.

Alright, if you want an answer that badly, I’ll give it.

I just need to say I’ll marry him.

“I’ll marry you! Isn’t that enough? I’ll marry you!”

As long as I don’t die, I’ll marry!

It’s not about that right now!

“!!!!!! Kaelin…”

His arms, which had been firmly crossed, suddenly dropped, and his eyes widened, pupils shaking.

Did I upset him with my careless words?

Should I respond politely again?

But the next words from Calix shattered my worries.

“Kaelin Brockburk. You said you would marry me. That word can never be taken back. Never! It’s different from the promise you made to Leon and Eden Daucus. I will never let you go.”

It wasn’t anger—it was relief!

But Calix, even if you feel so moved now, you’ll end up falling in love with Estelle.

The story’s plot has me dying first; if I survive, who knows. But the rules are clear: you’re the male lead, and Estelle is the heroine.

That’s the setup.

Still, if you want to say it and assert it now, go ahead.

You can let me go when you want. I only need to survive—it doesn’t matter beyond that.

“Yes. I will marry you, Lord Calix. Now, will you listen to my request?”

The important part begins now.

But at that moment, Calix crossed his arms again.

Crossed his arms again?

The subtle shift in his attitude made me uneasy.

“I will listen.”

“Listen…?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll listen and then decide.”

Listen and then decide?

No way!

You said if you accepted the proposal, you’d listen to my request!

“If I accept the proposal, won’t you also grant my request?”

“No, that’s a separate matter. I said I’d listen. If it’s a request I can grant, I’ll consider it.”

Wow! This guy!

A sudden wave of betrayal almost made me curse aloud.

He’s the classic male lead who separates love and business!

I should have started with my request first if I wanted an answer to the proposal…

No, no.

I’m not in a position to make such a deal.

Unlike him, I can’t take that kind of risk.

I have to cling to him.

Not a transaction.

“Remember, I am absolutely on your side, Lord Calix. From the royal banquet held to welcome Crown Prince Eden, I have always shown you my feelings, that I liked you, haven’t I?”

I found myself pushing “I like you” again.

I was scared because he could kill me, but even if it wasn’t love, I didn’t dislike him as the male lead.

Looking back, saying I liked him wasn’t a lie, I reasoned.

“Kaelin. I don’t understand what you want to say.”

“If you promise not to kill my father and brother, I’ll tell you everything. My request is to save my father and brother.”

But Calix’s face froze completely.

“I see. So the duke has finally aimed his sword at me.”

“!!!!!!!”

Even though all I requested was the safety of my father and brother, he already understood the situation.

“You mean you want to talk about the empress and the nobles who want to make Leon emperor, Kaelin? So it begins at last?”

“….”

Does he even know which factions are allied, or even Abby’s father?

I was at a loss in front of him, unable to find words, just staring with my mouth slightly open.

“What do you want to say, Kaelin? Depending on the severity of the offense, I will punish, but first I want to hear what you want to tell me.”

He already seems prepared for the forces opposing him.

Could he even know about Eden Daucus provoking the war?

Whether he knows or not, it’s meaningful for me to speak first.

I have to speak!

I took a deep breath and finally started to pour out the words.

“Crown Prince Eden Daucus will start a war in Aolium, the border area between Eberretan and the Daucus Empire. News should come in within a few days.”

“…….”

Calix listened silently, his expression as rigid as stone, his eyes piercing through me.

I was scared.

But I kept speaking.

It’s my only chance to survive.

“As you know, Your Highness, the factions supporting Duke Leon, including my father, will tacitly allow Eden Daucus’s provocation. After you depart with the knights to the border, there will be no additional reinforcements. While you leave Eberren, Duke Leon will ascend as emperor.”

“…….”

I had said everything, and only silence followed.

He looked down at me, expression unchanged.

I had no idea how much time had passed.

It felt like time had stopped, or that too much time had passed.

Finally, Calix spoke.

“I see.”

“???”

That’s it?

Nothing else to say?

I looked at him with surprised eyes.

Perhaps reading my confusion, he spoke again.

“Kaelin, the details you told me about Leon’s faction were unknown to me. I always wondered how someone would challenge me. An alliance with Eden Daucus, huh?”

So he didn’t know about the war.

“Yes… The war is the beginning.”

“Why are you telling me this? If you didn’t love me, you wouldn’t reveal your father’s plans in advance. I don’t know your true feelings.”

That’s because I already know the outcome.

Both the war and rebellion will fail, and Calix, you will win.

I already know I must side with you to survive.

“I…”

Before I could decide what to say, Calix interrupted.

“Do you love me?”

Love me?

If I said yes, would he believe it?

I don’t love him…

What’s the safest answer?

The words that came easily in urgent moments refused to come now.

He was staring sharply, as if piercing through me.

I could feel that even my lies would be seen.

I had to choose words that guaranteed survival.

I spoke slowly.

“I do not love you.”

He remained silent, listening.

No reaction.

“But I am absolutely on your side. I will never support anyone who opposes you—my father, Duke Leon, Crown Prince Eden, the empress… whoever. I am on your side. It’s true that I like you and support you. Never forget this!”

I am absolutely on your side.

You are the male lead.

The one who wins in the end.

And the one who can defeat anyone opposing him.

So, I am absolutely on your side.

The ultimate, absolute ruler is on my side.

“I see. But don’t you think your actions now are betraying your father?”

I wondered what to say next.

Yes, in his eyes, my actions—asking to save my father while negotiating with his enemy—might look like betrayal.

But I know the future.

Knowing the future, I am trying in my own way to prevent my father’s death.

“I am not betraying my father. I believe you will not fail, Your Highness, but I have no power to stop him. That is why I came to ask for mercy in advance.”

I tried to express my thoughts without directly revealing knowledge of the future.

“You trust me…”

“Yes. You will win the war and ascend the throne. Because you are Lord Calix.”

You are the male lead.

“You don’t love me, but you trust my abilities?”

Yes. That’s accurate.

But at that moment, an unexpected question slipped out of my mouth.

“Do you love me?”

Calix answered instantly, without hesitation.

“Yes, I love you.”

Ah, even now, it’s still hard to believe.

He’s not the type to answer so shamelessly to such a question.

Regardless, I had to find a way to survive.

“Then, whatever happens, please think of me, who is absolutely on your side, and who you love, and save my father…”

I had to say the next part, but I couldn’t.

He waited silently.

“…Please save them.”

I finally finished speaking.

But as I did, I lowered my head.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

It felt shameless to use love as an excuse, as a weapon, to commit rebellion yet beg for mercy.

At that moment, a shout calling Calix echoed.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!!!!”

It was the urgent voice of the Knight Commander.

!!!!!!

No way!

Already?

The commander had already found us and approached.

“Urgent news: Aolium’s First Base has fallen to the Daucus Empire. Due to a sudden Daucus ambush, the Aolium knights have retreated to the Second Base. War has begun.”

!!!!

It’s real! It has already started!

My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground.