an unfortunate change in genre

Part 44

Tragically real life isn't as simple as a romance novel.

Roksu spared a glance at Cale as the carriage traveled further and further from the palace with a small frown.

"...you're sure about this?"

Cale turned his gaze away from the window where he'd been watching the scenery change. "I'm not sure about anything anymore. I have no fucking idea what I'm doing."

Roksu could relate.

"Is that why?"

Cale nodded silently, eyes shifting back towards the scenery.

It wasn't a match that made any sense.

Crown Prince Alberu Crossman and Count Deruth Henituse's eldest son, Cale Henituse.

Cale's name certainly didn't hold the stigma it had in his first life. No one knew him as trash or a lout and some even considered him to be a war hero.

That still didn't make him a proper match for a prince. Especially not the crown prince. And most especially not a prince like Alberu, who had to cling to legitimacy through sheer grit alone due to his unfortunate childhood.

Alberu knew this. Cale knew this.

There wasn't a bright future awaiting them even if they shared feelings for one another. Aside from that, there was still the ever looming threat of the White Star's reincarnation and the remnants of Arm and just so many other little problems to be dealt with.

Neither of them were naive enough to believe that something as intangible as 'love' could overcome those odds.

So it made a lot of sense for them to part on good terms with an understanding that this couldn't become anything greater than it was. They could be friends at most but there was absolutely no future in their romance.

Cale sighed heavily, wondering if the capital ever looked so dull.

"...I'm still in disbelief."

"Hm?" Roksu had taken out a book in the time between and had to drag himself away from the story hidden in between its pages. He was maybe half-successful.

"He married Rosalyn. You know that too, right?"

Roksu nodded, assuring Cale that he did indeed remember the contents of the novel.

"They were still together even until my time of death." Cale continued, his face pinched with confusion. "They got along well. They both said they have no such feelings for one another this time. What the hell changed? Didn't they love each other?"

'Did I fuck it up?' Was unspoken because Cale was still too uneasy to verbalize that fear.

"Maybe it's more complicated than that." Roksu said thoughtfully. "You love his highness, right?"

Cale scowled at him, resenting the directness of the question. "What of it?"

"And he loves you?"

"You're starting to tick me off."

"So why aren't you together?"

"It's complicated." Cale snipped, glaring at his rather insensitive younger brother.

Roksu just looked back at his book. "Then just think like that but in reverse."

Really. Roksu loved his older brother but sometimes Cale could be a dullard.

It was possible that Alberu and Rosalyn shared a private and passionate love for one another. It was also possible that it was an entirely political marriage between two friends who had mutual respect for one another.