TBKBS 11

Chapter : 11

Wake up? Nonsense?

Wow! So frustrating!

No, I love him!

Calix loves me.

But he couldn’t say it out loud.

Because that damn male lead, Calix, kept hiding his feelings, he couldn’t even show that he loved me…

I feel almost wronged!

“Lin, don’t worry. Your father won’t lose in a fight against the Crown Prince. He doesn’t have any noble faction supporting him. Only his knights stand with him.”

That was true.

Calix’s biological mother, the former Empress, came from a minor family, and she was their only child. After her death, the family line effectively disappeared, and the little land that remained from her family reverted to the state.

In other words, Calix had no backing at all.

That must have been why my father thought that by allying with the current Empress, he had a fair chance against Calix.

Of course, the start of such a secret alliance was my precious daughter, Kaelin’s, love for Duke Leon.

But even if his daughter didn’t become Empress, from the head of the Brockburke family’s perspective, joining hands with the Empress could still be beneficial for the family.

But that calculation was made without knowing the future.

I knew the future!

This is maddening!

Calix doesn’t need any other background!

Why? Because he’s the male lead.

And every single one of his knights is worth a hundred men!

He is far stronger than my father thinks!

He might have no noble support, but his knights and his own abilities are overwhelmingly strong enough to wipe out all his opposition.

Just accept Calix as the Emperor already.

But since I couldn’t reveal that I knew the future, all I could do was shout these thoughts in my mind.

The words I could actually say would just sound like mere guesses and predictions.

“Father, Calix will never lose to Duke Leon or the Empress’s faction. Leon will never become Emperor! Please believe me! Please break that alliance before it’s too late and actions are irreversible!”

But despite my desperate pleas, my father’s answer was disappointing.

“It’s not that simple, Lin. It’s already gone too far.”

For some reason, his voice sounded unusually low and strained.

What?

Is there something I don’t know?

Why can’t he give up so easily?

Gone too far… in what sense?

Feeling anxious and helpless in the face of my father’s incomprehensible stubbornness, I left his office feeling defeated.

Weeks passed again, with no chance to meet Calix and no way to persuade my father.

An invitation came from the Empress to join her for tea in her rose garden.

I didn’t want to go, but no matter how powerful one’s family, refusing the Empress’s invitation would be unthinkable.

As expected, Duke Leon was already there, seemingly fully recovered.

“Lady Brockburke, I hear you’ve been distant with Duke Leon lately. That shouldn’t happen, right? If there’s any misunderstanding or resentment, you must meet and resolve it. You two are no ordinary acquaintances. I called you both here so you could clear any obstacles and untangle any knots between you.”

The Empress smiled as she spoke, but I could sense her restrained anger toward me.

She was struggling to hide her anger at my engagement cancellation to Leon.

Ugh, this is so awkward!

Why did the novel have to be written this way, and why did I have to possess Kaelin at this exact moment?

I couldn’t just lament my situation.

After all, this Empress would lose her life to Calix eventually.

I just needed to remember: Calix is far scarier than the Empress!

Taking a deep breath, I spoke firmly.

“When I was young, I was naive and spent time with Duke Leon, but now it’s impossible to say we are close. He is far beyond my reach.”

He could kill me if I got too close.

Although it was the Empress, I was still the daughter of the Duke Brockburke, a top minister and power-holder.

Moreover, my father, as of now, was a central collaborator in the Empress’s rebellion plan.

So even if I spoke like this, she couldn’t do anything to me.

The Empress narrowed her eyes and said,

“Lady Brockburke, don’t overcomplicate things. You mustn’t treat Duke Leon as difficult or distant. You share the same goal, after all.”

Goal? Becoming Emperor and Empress?

No, I don’t care about being Empress!

She’s going to die anyway!

“Your Majesty, I preferred the quiet life in the countryside of my father’s duchy. That is my goal: to live my life that way.”

Surviving is my goal.

“Kaelin, why are you doing this?!”

Leon interrupted, standing beside me.

Looking into his earnest eyes, I realized he saw me as an object of affection, not as an ally to help him ascend the throne.

Oh, great.

Every time Leon acts friendly, I feel like I’m being pushed to the brink.

I just stared at him coldly, saying nothing.

The Empress continued,

“Lady Brockburke, you seem to differ from your father in some ways. Your father is wise… and you will come to resemble him, eventually.”

Am I acting foolishly, so I miss out on being Empress?

No, that’s not it.

For now, the Crown Prince is still Calix, and he is ultimately destined to become Emperor.

The Empress, your opinion that I am foolish is exactly how the novel was written.

I just didn’t know I’d possess Kaelin at this time.

The Empress kept alternating between persuasion, criticism, and even veiled threats.

To me, who knew the future, it was a meaningless exercise.

Finally, having endured the awkward and stressful tea, I left the palace utterly drained, slumping like a defeated soldier.

Sighing in worry…

thud

“Ah!”

Walking with my head down, I collided with something hard.

“What?”

Rubbing my forehead, I looked up and was shocked.

Calix was looking down at me.

“Calix!”

Startled by the sudden encounter, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, defenseless.

Oh no!

Immediately, I realized I had used the wrong form of address.

In my distracted state, the words as the protagonist’s narrator slipped out before proper etiquette.

“So… Calix… I respectfully greet you, Crown Prince of Everretian!”

I forced myself to correct my mistake.

But one of Calix’s eyebrows had dramatically arched.

Even with that expression, he still looked handsome—how is that possible?!

No matter the situation, no matter his expression, Calix always looked flawless.

The power of the male lead buff…

His eyebrow eventually lowered back into place, regaining balance, and I stared blankly as he spoke.

“Kaelin Brockburke. So you’ve visited the Empress’s palace and are leaving now.”

How did he know?

He even knows I went to the Empress’s palace.

Ah, of course…

Pretending not to watch, but he was monitoring me all along.

Getting close to Leon must make him anxious…

But Calix’s next words were quite unexpected.

“It seems the Brockburke family is closely linked with the Empress and Duke Leon, unfortunately… Could you inform your father? Whatever he’s doing, he should stop.”

“!!!!!”

His words hit me like a cold shower followed by burns.

Then I noticed Rajif standing behind Calix.

The one who had previously surveilled my house and the one who had accompanied me from the training grounds.

I had a feeling.

He must be the person in charge of monitoring my family, reporting everything.

Even my visit to the Empress’s palace today must have been reported by him.

My vision darkened.

Being watched as a member of a rebellious family…

Calix’s love for me is clearly tied to his determination to protect the throne.

Monitoring a family plotting rebellion while keeping an eye on the woman he loves.

He looked down at me silently for a long moment before finally moving aside.

‘!!!!’

No!

I can’t let him leave!

Shaking off my fear, I regained my composure.

I had to grab Calix. My head was screaming warnings.

“Your Highness! Wait!”

Luckily, he stopped.

I rushed closer and said,

“I have no other intentions. I… Your Highness…”

“…?”

“I… Your Highness…”

I had to say I liked him.

Should I? I should. I must.

“No! I don’t want to hear it!”

“Huh?”

Before I could speak, Calix cut me off unexpectedly.

What does he not want to hear?

I was going to confess! Not only reciprocating his obsession but preemptively liking him!

Is he scared?

That I might say my heart belongs to Leon?

“If you’re going to state your preference, there’s no need. Then, I shall take my leave.”

He tried to walk away.

I couldn’t let him go!

With both the Empress and Calix linking Leon and me, I had to make my stance clear!

“Your Highness! Crown Prince!”

Hearing my loud call, Calix stopped again and turned toward me.

Hmm?

His expression… what is that?

For some reason, his face looked fearful when he turned to me.

Fear?

Ah!

Of course. He’s afraid I’ll say, “I don’t like you, I like Leon.”

Poor male lead.

I’ll take care of him until the heroine arrives. His possessiveness and love deficiency.

Summoning all my courage, I finally blurted out,

“Your Highness! I like you! I like you, Your Highness!”

This is the best I can do.

For both of us.

“Go…o…d…!”

“I like you! I don’t mind your possessiveness, and your terrifying desire to own me doesn’t scare me! I like you as you are!”

“……”

Huh?

His expression… odd?

As a male lead, he genuinely cared for me, and in some sense, my confession was sincere.

But Calix’s reaction was strange.

It was as if he went pale.

Was it really that shocking?

He seemed lost for words.

Even his pupils seemed to tremble.