TBKBS 15

Chapter : 15

Huh?
Why for the left hand?
Because you’re left-handed!

Others don’t know, but I do.
I’m the one who made you left-handed.

And when you killed me, you killed me with that left hand too.
That’s why I absolutely had to give you a wrist guard for your left hand.

And you—officially pretending to be right-handed—you can’t even wear a guard on your left wrist, right?

But of course, I couldn’t say out loud that I knew this.
If I said I knew something that only he himself should know, he would definitely find it strange.

“I thought you’d already have a right-hand guard, so I made this for the left.”

I’ll pretend not to know that you’re left-handed.

At my explanation, his stiff expression eased just a little, but he didn’t say anything.

“Then, I’ll really take my leave now.”

I bowed again and stepped out of the Crown Prince’s office.

Calix sat in silence after Caelyn Brockburke left the room, staring at the left-hand wrist guard on his desk.

‘Left hand… left hand….’

She said she thought he would have one for the right hand, but giving a left-hand guard as a gift wasn’t normal.

There was a long-held belief that being left-handed was unlucky, so giving someone something for the left hand was hardly common sense.

Yet she brought one for the left…

Even Rajiv and Rel—his closest men, like extensions of himself—didn’t know he was left-handed.
There was no way someone he barely knew could.

He stared at the guard for a long time before finally reaching out and picking it up.

Words were embroidered on it:

<Don’t forget — Caelyn Brockburke>

“Don’t forget?”

How strange.

Normally, such gifts bore words of blessing or praise.
But don’t forget?

Don’t forget what?

Don’t tell me… don’t forget Caelyn Brockburke?

At that moment, all the puzzling words she’d spoken to him before came back to him, and his grip on the guard tightened unconsciously.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head, and confusion swirled.

Because her words from earlier flashed back:

‘Your Highness, you’ve saved my life twice now.’

The way she said it—as if it were a simple fact—meant it must be true.

Which meant he had once saved Caelyn Brockburke before as well.

It wasn’t in his memory, so it must have happened during that time he’d lost.

Once again, the thoughts that had tormented him these past days surfaced.

A girl in the water.
A girl unconscious.
A beautiful woman, a lovely girl…

A child…

That child… who was she? Could it be Caelyn Brockburke?!

Calix’s eyes widened in shock, darting toward the door she had exited.

That strange woman who says she likes obsessive love—that girl was her?

The thought that the girl in his memories might actually be Caelyn Brockburke—who had just handed him the wrist guard—shook him.

And with that thought, that unfamiliar feeling he’d felt when she once said she liked him surged up again, hot and pounding.

The full moon had come around again.

My head still hurt from Father’s issues with the Empress’s faction, but I decided I needed to cool off—with some culture.

And what better culture than another visit to the night market’s book carts?

I asked Aby to come with me, but she had other matters, so I had no choice but to go alone.

I easily found my way back to the alley of book carts, and quickly spotted the same one as last time.

I hadn’t seen Eden since the jousting tournament, and word was he’d returned to the Darkus Empire.

So no unlucky encounters this time.

I started by picking up the books I couldn’t buy last time, tucking them under my arm, then enthusiastically began digging for more.

If the first book was aristocrats’ 19+, then I wanted to try commoners’ 19+.
A comparative study of sexual culture across social classes, so to speak.

For once, I wasn’t worrying about survival—just expanding my 19+ education. Pure healing!

Ah, wonderful!
The commoners’ 19+ was just as excellent.

Its defining trait was… absolute disregard for time and place.

So much that it made me go, “Here, too?!”—and sure enough, yes, there too.
“Now, too?!”—and yes, now too.

When it came to Aby, a marquis’s daughter, the reality didn’t quite match this depiction of noble vs commoner practices.
But judging from the books… I definitely leaned commoner in taste.

Anyway, I was never destined to end up with Calix.
From the start, the heroine slot was already reserved for someone else.

Leon was pretty, sure, but I never let myself feel drawn to him—I knew better.

Someday, once this precarious position between Calix and Leon was behind me, I wanted to live sweetly with a handsome, kind man—commoner or noble didn’t matter—freely practicing my surprise 19+ lifestyle.

As long as I survived, of course.

Ah, look at this picture! This guy ‘Hans’ is just perfect.
Handsome face, good body, kind heart—all my type.

And Hans is good day and night. What a treasure!

In my last life I hadn’t even managed dating, let alone marriage, before dying.
This time, I wanted to live, meet a wonderful man, and be happy.

Full of hope, I devoured each page carefully.

In the end, I decided to buy the book I was reading, along with the one tucked under my arm from last time.

I pulled out money to pay, but at that very moment, the cart owner glanced somewhere, went pale, and suddenly bolted—without taking my money.

What the—?

Like he’d seen a ghost?

“Hey! Take the money!” I shouted after him.

But then—thud!—my heart dropped.

Because right after my shout, a pounding sound was rushing closer, fast.

Da-da-da-da-da!

Many heavy footsteps, charging at full speed, like ominous drums.

Anxiety gripped me. I turned my head instinctively toward the sound—

And froze.

Knights.

A whole squad, storming in.

And leading them—tall, broad, at the front—

No way.

WHY are you here?!

My eyes nearly popped out as I froze in place.

It was Calix.

But he wasn’t looking at me.
His gaze was locked on the fleeing cart owner.

“Don’t let a single one escape!”

He roared, sprinting past me in pursuit.

What the hell was going on?!

In an instant, the alley of book carts was crawling with knights.

With Calix and some chasing after the owner, the others began inspecting the carts.

Inspecting? For what?

Oh no.

Could these carts be selling unauthorized, illegal books?

The knights started rifling through carts, even binding some sellers.

What the—seriously?!
Knights, inspecting books?

Wow. Must be peaceful times in this empire.

No, no—this wasn’t the time for sarcasm.

I needed to get out—while Calix was distracted!

I clutched the books under my arm, debating.

The knights were examining everything.
If I set mine down now, it would draw even more attention.

No, I’d take them with me.
These were my precious two, after all.

I slipped the money between the books on the cart, then carefully edged away, hugging my purchases.

Telling myself: “I paid fairly. I’m just taking the books I bought, like any normal customer.”

But before I’d taken ten steps, someone blocked my way.

Ugh… not you again.

Rajiv.
The Crown Prince’s deputy commander.

One look at him, and I knew.
I was screwed. Thoroughly.

Still, I had to try.

Summoning every drop of courage, I snapped, “Move.”

I’m the duke’s daughter, don’t forget.
You’ve seen Calix let me go before.

But Rajiv clearly wasn’t intimidated.
Didn’t even look amused.

“Stop. You cannot take those books.”

Damn. He saw.

He saw the books under my arm.

Why is my cultural life always so cursed?!

Now that he knew, the fact that I was Caelyn Brockburke—the duke’s daughter—only made it worse.

Because the titles were… “The Unforgettable Night of the Duke’s Daughter” and “Mary the Florist and Hans the Baker’s Endless Days and Nights”.

There was no way I could hand them over.

I hugged them tighter.

“I don’t want to take them from you by force, Lady Brockburke.”

Ugh. He remembered me perfectly.
Of course—he’s my family’s assigned watchdog.

Had he been watching me this whole time?

Still, no way would I give them up.

“Rajiv… sir, right?”

My bravado shrank, politeness slipping in without me noticing.

“Yes.”

He answered flatly.

I tried again, more deferential this time.

“Sir Rajiv, I only came to the night market to look around. I picked up a book or two for a hobby. I paid for them. I don’t know what this commotion is, but please step aside.”

“You cannot take those books. Hand them over.”

Seriously? Why!!!!

You’re confiscating whole carts, can’t you spare just two?!

These are mine! Bought with my money!

I glared at his blank face, clutching the books to my chest as if they were babies.

But then—footsteps. Heavy, approaching.

And a familiar voice:

“Lady Caelyn Brockburke. Put the books down.”

My face flushed hot as I turned.

Of course.

It was him.

Calix.