TBKBS 26

Chapter : 26

I asked the frozen Luke.

“Do you really think Father can stand against the Crown Prince and win?”

“Lyn, you don’t have to worry about that…”

“Luke!”

I cut him off.

Right now, I didn’t need a brother trying to gently reassure his little sister.

Luke’s eyes widened at the firmness in my voice.

“If I don’t worry, then who will? Father’s problems are ours, yours and mine, anyway.”

“…….”

Luke’s eyes widened even more.

I asked him again, not letting up.

“Do you think Father and Mother can beat Calix?”

“Of course. Of course we can win. I don’t understand why you’re saying such things. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

Win? What win?

We’ll lose, Luke. We’ll lose!

“No, Luke! Father can’t beat Calix. If we stay here, everyone’s going to die!”

“Lyn!”

Luke called my name in surprise.

His face had already gone pale.

But I wanted to finish saying what I had to.

Because my situation was desperate—and because I wanted to save Luke too.

“If Father can’t stop, then we have to run. There’s no need for you and me to die here…”

“Lyn! Stop! What on earth is wrong with you? I could understand if you said you didn’t want to marry Duke Leon. But now, because of you, Father would have to break a promise he made—and you want to run away? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Father and I will protect you!”

Luke’s face was flushed red, and his voice, scolding me, carried a restrained anger.

He doesn’t think we could possibly fail!

He isn’t even considering breaking the agreements already made.

He’s just holding back his anger so he won’t get mad at my changed feelings.

I felt powerless.

It was clear now that joining Luke in exile wasn’t an option.

I quickly regained my composure.

I had to resolve this situation fast.

With a completely natural expression, I changed my face in an instant.

“Sorry, Luke. You’re right! Father and you will protect me. I was just saying unnecessary things. I guess I got scared just knowing that Crown Prince Eden Darkus is involved in all this. I have nothing to worry about…”

There was no point in telling Luke the full truth, as he had no intention of running away with me anyway.

Hearing me, Luke immediately relaxed his rigid expression.

“Yeah, Lyn. You really don’t have to worry about anything.”

From Luke’s point of view, I probably seemed like a childish little sister. But the moment I changed my attitude, he looked filled with affection for me.

Sigh… such a good brother. But he’ll die too, won’t he.

I felt a pang in my heart again.

“Luke, I was just anxious and said those things without meaning it, so don’t worry. And don’t tell Father I said any of this, he’ll just worry. Okay?”

I tried to seal my lips one last time and left his room.

But Luke grabbed my arm and asked,

“Lyn, you really didn’t mean that about running away, right?”

“Yeah, it was just something I said. Really. I’ll go now.”

I forced a bright smile and walked out of his room.

The next day, I didn’t even want to go for a walk.

In a year and a half, I was destined to die by the sword anyway. What was the point of building stamina by walking?

I spent the whole day cooped up in my room, feeling listless.

The day after that, still sprawled on my bed, I was summoned by Father to his office.

I had been to his office before, but never called there by him.

Feeling a little uneasy, I entered the office, and my impulse to immediately leave returned when I saw the other two already there.

There were three men: Father with a stern expression, Luke looking serious, and somehow Eden, who looked rather pleased.

Ha!

Why did the three of them call me?

There was only one reason.

The exile plan I had told Eden, and the escape plan I had told Luke—they had shared everything.

I should have known—they both have mouths as light as feathers!

As soon as I closed the door, Father called my name, full of anger.

“Kaelin Brockburk!”

Using my full name, not a nickname.

“Yes, Father.”

“Is it true that you wanted to run away?”

I glared at Eden.

At that moment, Eden wasn’t a crown prince or anything. He was just a careless, bad man.

“Answer me, Kaelin.”

Father’s voice, strict as if scolding my gaze, demanded a response.

“…Yes, Father.”

I already knew they knew everything, so lying wasn’t an option.

“Why on earth did you plan such a thing?! The daughter of Luke Brockburk, Chancellor of the Everetian Empire, attempting to defect to another empire—do you think that’s acceptable?!”

I had never seen anger like that in Father’s eyes before.

From his perspective, it was natural to be furious that his daughter didn’t trust him and secretly thought of running away.

I had no answer, so I just lowered my head.

Father, still agitated, continued speaking.

“Kaelin, why? Why would you—!”

But then he paused, as if trying to calm down.

He let out a deep sigh, then continued in a slightly calmer tone.

“Why do you dislike Duke Leon? You’ve always liked him, haven’t you? You returned to Everlen because of your marriage to Leon. I worked with the Empress for your sake from the start. If Calix becomes Emperor, he would eventually kill Duke Leon. The man who would be your husband and the father of your child, Duke Leon. For the Duke you love… for you…”

Father choked slightly as he spoke, holding back tears.

!!!!!!!

Seeing him swallow his tears and pour out his heart, my heart ached too.

Though I had only been possessed for half a year, the Duke, who had always treated me warmly and shown true love to Kaelin, made me feel the same affection I had for my own father.

Why did I set up such a ridiculous early scenario in the story?

Why did I have to be possessed as Kaelin?

And why did the possession happen so late in the timeline?

If I had been possessed earlier, I could have arrived before saying I would marry Leon.

Being trapped in a situation where I clearly would die and couldn’t avoid it was frustrating and sad.

“I’m sorry, Father. But I can’t follow the path you’ve chosen. I’m even more sorry because this was the path you chose for my sake.”

I couldn’t offer any other explanation or excuse, so all I could do was sincerely apologize to Father.

The anger in his face had softened to only sadness.

He seemed like a father so full of love for his daughter that he couldn’t even scold her properly.

In a low voice, he asked,

“Is it that you don’t trust your father?”

Ha…

What should I say?

“Father, I just want to step away from all of this. I’m afraid of the Empress’ plan to poison the Emperor, the already-planned AoLium attack by the Darkus Empire, and Duke Leon’s rebellion. I’m not afraid because I don’t trust you… I just want to run away.”

I’m sorry…

But I don’t want to die.

If there’s a way to survive, I want to take it.

Luke, who had been silent, finally spoke.

“Kaelin, if you trust Father and me, you can stay here. You don’t have to do anything. And if you don’t like Duke Leon, you don’t have to marry him. Father and I will protect you, so why think about abandoning your family and running away?”

It was frustrating that I couldn’t tell them I knew the ending—that Father, Luke, and even I would die.

What a horrible situation…

The three of us kept repeating the same conversation over and over like a broken record.

During that, I happened to look at Eden’s face.

My sadness and frustration quickly turned to extreme annoyance when I saw him.

Unlike the somber atmosphere of our family, Eden looked endlessly cheerful.

That guy is the type you can’t ever really like, no matter how hard you try.

Just then, Father’s voice rang with finality, piercing my gaze at Eden.

“Kaelin, you only need to follow your father’s and brother’s will. Don’t be stubborn. From now on, you’re forbidden from going out alone.”

I snapped awake.

Hearing Father’s firm voice, I steeled myself and answered.

“Alright, Father. Exile is impossible now. I have to give up. But one thing remains—I will never support Leon.”

I couldn’t give Calix any reason to kill me.

At that moment, a bright, cheerful voice broke through the heavy mood.

It was Eden.

“Duke, unfortunate. Your daughter’s tastes seem to have changed midway… enough to want to run away.”

Ha, seriously!

That Eden!

In fact, the reason Father couldn’t step back was largely because of his promise with that guy.

“Crown Prince, please leave. I don’t understand why you interfere with our family conversation.”

I said sharply.

A man who shackles my father for his own country’s benefit, and would kill any exile who isn’t useful to his empire.

I now fully felt Eden was the root of this problem.

Yet Eden spoke cheerfully, completely ignoring my sharp glare and tone.

“I was here patiently witnessing such a tearful, touching scene because I had something very important to discuss.”

What are you talking about?

I glared at Eden, who was standing a little apart from Father.

Father then addressed Eden.

“Crown Prince, please tell us what proposal you wish to make.”

Proposal?

What proposal?

Just as I looked at Eden again, he locked eyes with me and said,

“Lyn, as an exile, I cannot promise to guarantee your life.”

I know!

I already understood that last time, so why does he need to say it again?

I was annoyed just listening to him, and annoyed that he was sitting here at all.

“I know! I already told you I wouldn’t defect to the Darkus Empire!”

I barely restrained my anger as I answered.

But Eden, as if trying to calm me, said,

“Whoa, whoa! Don’t get so excited. You have to hear me out.”

“….”

The more I listened, the angrier I was getting.

Yet what he said next wasn’t just anger-inducing—it was utterly absurd.

“Not as an exile, but if you come to me as my wife, as Crown Princess of the Darkus Empire, I will gladly accept you. Of course, I will not kill my wife. I guarantee it, on the honor of the Darkus Empire.”

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”