I’m going crazy. Now that the female lead has disappeared, what am I supposed to do if I lose my mind too?

And why hasn’t Calix let go of my hand since earlier?

“So it seems you do value your own life.”

Calix smiled gently as he looked at me, who was speechless like a mute who’d eaten honey.

In response, I covered his face with my hand.

If I kept looking at that handsome face any longer, I felt like my head would really go haywire.

The moment I confirmed with my own eyes that the female lead had disappeared, it felt like I’d lost hold of something I’d been barely grasping.

“Sit down and talk slowly.”

Calix carefully pulled me, still standing dazed, and sat me down on the couch.

Then he covered my knees with his jacket that was hanging nearby.

‘That’s expensive, it shouldn’t get wrinkled…’

I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.

As Calix said, I needed to calm down a bit.

“How much do you know about fate?”

I finally managed to speak. Calix looked into my eyes calmly and answered.

“I’m not very good with theology.”

Then he abruptly stood up and walked to the bookshelf. Soon, a very white, thick book was placed in front of me. His hand tapped the book cover.

“But I can answer anything that’s in here.”

I slightly opened the book.

And immediately closed it after seeing the tiny, ant-like cursive writing.

Scary bastard… Is he saying he memorized all of this?

“Why? Don’t you trust me?”

Calix leaned on the couch, resting his chin on his hand, and smiled at me.

Why did this make me feel reassured?

This is why I can’t abandon this guy.

I shook my head.

“Your Highness, you might not believe this, but…”

“That you’re a ghost?”

Calix looked me up and down with his red eyes.

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

His long finger poked my cheek.

“I’ve never heard of being able to touch ghosts.”

“It’s not that, I possessed Rose’s body-“

“Then I should make sure the original soul can’t return.”

Calix’s expression turned serious.

“I heard the news of undead appearing in Tehran Forest.”

I suddenly raised my head and looked at him.

How does he know that?

Could it be that Aaron arrived first and told him?

“I had Aaron Crimson ben watched.”

Watched? Was the cheetah beastman Aaron mentioned something Calix had sent? Calix’s expression wavered subtly.

It was as if he was watching my reaction.

“Then do you know that I disappeared in the middle of the forest?”

“Why aren’t you asking why I had him watched?”

Calix looked at me with a surprised face.

“It’s true that Aaron acted a bit suspiciously. And a suspicious attitude is very good for a ruler-“

“Do you only see me as a Crown Prince?”

At his somewhat angry tone, I looked at him straight again.

“I don’t care if you’re Morisias’s saint or a ghost.”

At Calix’s words, I put my hands together and quietly bowed my head.

“If I had, as you say, truly acted as a ruler, as a Crown Prince, you would already be dead.”

And I closed my eyes tightly.

“The moment I heard that you were related to Morisias, I should have cut off your head.”

Calix’s voice started to rise, as if unable to contain his anger.

“But I’m keeping you alive. Why do you think that is? Hm?”

I bit my lip hard. Calix was right.

As the Crown Prince, Calix should have killed me to protect the empire from Morisias.

In the end, I had just done something very stupid.

Telling him my true identity.

But I had to do it.

Because it was for Calix’s sake.

Because I am the Crown Prince Calix’s direct maid.

“That is… because Your Highness… cares for me…”

At my words, Calix stopped speaking and stared into my eyes for a moment, frozen.

He soon asked in a very low and small voice.

“What am I to you?”

It was almost like he was talking to himself.

But there I was, shaken by Calix’s question.

Because I needed to seriously consider it.

I really wondered, what am I to Calix?

The male protagonist? Is that even relevant now that the female protagonist has disappeared?

“…Then what about me?”

I raised my head and looked straight at Calix.

“Why are you keeping me alive, Your Highness? What am I to you?”

Calix’s eyes widened, seemingly taken aback by my question.

I wasn’t a fool either.

When I firmly believed this world was from a book, I thought all the rumors about the Crown Prince favoring me were nonsense, since he was destined to end up with the female lead.

‘But now?’

I was told I could change a predetermined fate.

Then hasn’t Calix’s fate already been messed up? Because I’ve tangled everything up by his side.

The current Calix is not the tyrant Calix Posman I knew from the novel.

“…You.”

He seemed about to say something, his lips moving slightly as he met my eyes with a pitiful gaze.

My heart was beating fast.

I couldn’t predict his answer.

“To me…”

After a long silence, just as Calix was about to speak—

“Your Highness!”

Bang! The bedroom door burst open, and there stood Ruel, looking serious and catching his breath as if he had rushed here.

“It’s an emergency.”

“What?”

I had to cover my mouth to keep from screaming at what followed.

“The Second Prince has gone berserk, Your Highness.”

“…Damn it, this isn’t funny.”

“It’s the same symptoms as Desart’s tamer.”

I gasped and looked at Ruel.

Maybe the High Priest of Fate or whoever was getting revenge on Calix instead of me for stabbing them and running away.

“Your Highness.”

“You stay here.”

Calix said firmly as he stood up, but I quickly grabbed the hem of his clothes and shook my head.

I had to check for myself.

What Morisias’s intentions were.

“Your Highness, please let me come with you.”

Calix’s expression crumpled.

Does his silence mean he’s allowing it? I quietly stood up and positioned myself behind Calix.

“Miss Rose, as His Highness said, it would be safer for you to stay here.”

“I appreciate your concern, Lord Ruel. But shouldn’t I also know exactly what’s going on? I’ll behave appropriately and not cause any trouble.”

Calix still looked doubtful. But I couldn’t let just the two of them go.

“Your Highness.”

My story wasn’t over yet.

I had to tell him the whole truth before Calix faced the Second Prince.

If the Second Prince’s rampage was really because of me…

Even if I faced a life threat from the temple, I had to distance myself from Calix.

If Calix couldn’t ascend to the throne, he would be killed by Duke Tianel.

And I still didn’t want Calix to die.

I took off the translation necklace Calix had given me and put it on him as I spoke again.

From here on, no one but him should hear this.

“I found the Temple of Fate in Tehran Forest. And I was sucked into it.”

Ruel’s eyes widened, probably hearing a language he’d never heard before.

Of course.

I was speaking Korean.

“And I met the High Priest of Fate. They told me to change Your Highness’s fate to help resurrect Morisias.”

I calmly recited these unbelievable words one by one.

“Of course, it was nonsense, so I stabbed the High Priest of Fate with the sword Your Highness gave me and ran away.”

Then I smiled awkwardly.

“The Second Prince’s condition might be because of me. Your Highness…”

Calix maintained his silence.

His hand messed up my hair, which had been neatly arranged until then.

“Are you playing games with me?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness…”

“If such a thing happened, why didn’t you come to me immediately instead of waiting a day? It’s common knowledge that there’s a direct communication scroll from the territory to the capital. Rose Estanya!”

Ruel looked at us with a surprised face at Calix’s outburst.

But Calix, not caring about Ruel’s gaze at all, grabbed my wrist and urged me.

“Tell me. What do I need to do?”

“Me-“

“I’m sorry, but that damn retirement you want? Think about it when you’re over 80.”

I pondered.

Whether I should be grateful for this, or seriously consider if he was in his right mind.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean you can retire after that, so don’t get your hopes up.”