Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 297: ’Meeting Between The Princesses’

"Well..."

Bridget started, adjusting her glasses with a practiced, careful motion. Her voice, though calm, carried the weight of what none of them truly wanted to say out loud.

After the announcement, the princesses had gathered in the royal library—a sun-dappled room filled with the scent of old parchment, blooming violets from the windowsill, and tension so thick it clung to their skin.

Delilah had left shortly after they arrived, murmuring something about needing to speak with Lucius. Her face had been unreadable, but the stiffness in her shoulders betrayed her unease. It was clear—neither she nor Lucius had known about the king’s sudden declaration.

Scarlett, seated near the window with sunlight catching in her copper strands, remained silent, arms folded as her amber eyes flitted across the others.

Scarlett could see it plainly—how they avoided looking at each other directly, how their expressions twisted with restrained disbelief and something deeper. Wounded pride, maybe. Frustration.

’I can tell they’re all dissatisfied...’ she mused, brow furrowing slightly. ’But I don’t understand why. Of all people, I thought they’d be the least affected.’

Scarlett didn’t feel anger—not in the way she expected. She should be angry. Should be furious that Florian, of all people, was chosen by the king to be tested as the potential queen. But she wasn’t. Because she had spoken with him—more times than she could count now.

And yes, her opinion of him had once been drenched in disdain. Arrogant. Manipulative. Annoying. But...

He had kept her secret.

He could’ve ruined her. Could’ve whispered it in the king’s ear as revenge for the cold words and colder stares she’d thrown his way. But he hadn’t. Instead... they had somehow become—though she’d never admit it aloud—friends. In the quietest, strangest sense of the word.

"How should we start this?" Mira finally asked, pressing her hand to her cheek. Her face had lost its usual glow, her lips downturned in clear dismay. "I’m still in shock."

Scarlett’s gaze sharpened slightly. ’Seriously? Prince Florian never left the harem. He was always an option. I never once thought he was off the list of potential queens.’ Her nails tapped against her sleeve. ’I thought they’d be the smart ones.’

Camilla’s voice broke through her thoughts. "His Majesty barely spends time with us anymore, and now he expects us to test his apparent favorite? Does he even know of the rumors going around?"

Scarlett glanced sideways at her, eyes narrowing just a bit.

The rumors.

The ones whispering that Florian had seduced the king—that he’d used his delicate beauty and sharp tongue to entrap him. That Heinz now spent every spare moment with him. Ignoring the rest.

"Wasn’t there also a rumor that Prince Florian spread that rumor himself?" Alexandria asked, her voice tinged with a wounded softness, eyes flickering toward the table.

’Is she serious right now? Isn’t she supposed to be Florian’s friend? Why even bring that up?’ Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek.

"There’s such a rumor? My..." Mira’s gasp was small but theatrical, her eyes wide with dismay.

"I’ve heard it as well," Camilla said, nodding with practiced poise as she raised her bright orange fan to partially obscure her face. "My maids were whispering about it last night. They said Prince Florian himself had spread the gossip to push a false narrative."

Alexandria gasped again, audibly this time, as if she hadn’t just planted the idea. "Do... do you think he planned all of this? To make His Majesty fall for him?"

The room buzzed suddenly with tension. Even Athena, normally too reserved to react, flinched ever so slightly.

But Scarlett remained still, expression unreadable.

Then Bridget spoke, her voice uncertain. "That could be possible..."

No.

"Seriously?" Scarlett said sharply, unable to help herself. Her palm hit the polished mahogany of the table with a soft but firm thud, pulling all eyes toward her. Their surprise felt like a slap.

Athena blinked at her, startled. The others stared, expectant.

"What is it, Scarlett?" Camilla asked smoothly, though her eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Do you have something to say?"

Scarlett crossed her arms tightly, her chin tilting in defiance. "I don’t like Prince Florian any more than the rest of you. But do you honestly believe he’s capable of orchestrating something like this? He’s not that clever." She scoffed, though her voice wavered just a bit. "Besides, do you really think His Majesty is stupid enough to fall for a cheap trick?"

Silence.

It fell like a stone—awkward and heavy.

Scarlett’s shoulders tensed. The way they stared at her made her stomach twist. She had said too much. Defended him too strongly. Too obviously.

’Damn it... I made it sound like I’m siding with him. This was supposed to be a simple comment.’

"I... I agree with Lady Scarlett," Athena said, her voice barely above a whisper as she raised her hand slowly. Her cheeks were pink, but her eyes were steady. "I think we all know His Highness enough to understand he wouldn’t do something so underhanded. He... he’s even saved us before. More than once. Maybe... maybe His Majesty just saw how much he’s changed."

Scarlett blinked at her. Something warm and unfamiliar crept up her spine.

"I agree. I don’t think Prince Florian would do something like that," Alexandria added suddenly, nodding as if she hadn’t accused him mere moments ago.

’Bitch, you were the one who said it first.’ Scarlett bit her tongue. She wanted to snap, to throw the hypocrisy back in Alexandria’s face—but she didn’t. Not this time. Florian had told her something once. Something that stuck.

"Come to think of it, Lady Scarlett," Florian said, his voice light, but there was a flicker of curiosity behind his bright green eyes as he tilted his head ever so slightly. The soft sunlight filtering in through the corridor’s tall windows painted golden highlights in his light purple hair, making him look almost ethereal—like someone from a painting rather than a person trapped in the same gilded cage as her.

"Why are you trying so hard to become queen if you want to go home?"

Scarlett stopped mid-step.

The air between them shifted—subtle, but undeniable.

"I—" The word caught in her throat.

She didn’t know. Truly, she hadn’t paused to question it until now. It had always been her goal—survive the palace, become queen, earn power, and then go home. She assumed that if she wore the crown, she could return to her kingdom whenever she pleased.

That being queen meant freedom.

But... did it?

’If I become queen, I’d have responsibilities. I’d be chained to this place even more than I already am...’ Her brows knit slightly as uncertainty crept in, wrapping cold fingers around her heart. ’But if I don’t... then what have I been fighting for this entire time?’

"Think about it," Florian continued, his voice quieter now, more thoughtful than teasing. "If someone else becomes queen... don’t you think His Majesty will disband the harem?" He smiled faintly, a touch of weariness slipping through. "I’m honestly rooting for him to choose someone. Anyone. And let the rest of us go back to our kingdoms."

It was a good point. One that had stayed with Scarlett far longer than she wanted to admit.

Ever since that conversation with Florian, she’d found herself slowly giving up the idea of becoming queen. Not because she lost her edge or ambition—but because, at her core, she wanted nothing more than to go home.

’What’s the point of wearing a crown in a cage?’

She had repeated those words to herself more times than she could count.

’But when I asked him who he was rooting for, he said Alexandria...’ Scarlett’s gaze shifted subtly across the room to the girl in question, her expression unreadable. ’I can’t seem to get myself to like her enough to root for her though.’

Alexandria was... peculiar. Sweet. Soft-spoken. And deeply religious in a way that Scarlett could never relate to. It wasn’t that Scarlett disliked her—it was just that she never understood her. Alexandria often spoke of divine will, of destiny, of grace and providence.

Scarlett, on the other hand, believed in control. In action. Not prayer.

"You know what, I agree. I will trust His Highness. He has been good to us," Bridget said, her voice gentle but firm as she nodded with finality. Mira followed suit with a serene smile and a quiet affirmation.

"Yes."

’Bridget and Mira seem good enough, I suppose...’

Scarlett could imagine either of them in the role—diplomatic, graceful, pleasant enough. But neither stirred anything within her. No spark of inspiration. No emotion.

Then, Camilla’s voice chimed in like an elegant windchime.

"Mhm. I still don’t trust him, but I trust His Majesty’s decision," she said, hiding half her face behind her elaborately jeweled fan.

Scarlett’s lips twitched into a half-smile.

’Camilla will drain this country’s funds if she became queen.’ Despite their friendship, Scarlett knew Camilla’s taste for luxury and extravagance. And while Scarlett admired her flair, she also knew ruling a kingdom required more than charm and couture. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

And lastly—

"W-We should think of a test for His Highness now, right? Before His Majesty comes to us..." Athena said, her voice trembling just slightly, a soft and bashful smile on her face as she tucked a lock of silvery-white hair behind her ear.

Athena.

Scarlett’s eyes lingered on her.

Once upon a time, Scarlett had bullied her mercilessly. Not out of hatred—but out of inherited arrogance. Athena was from a struggling kingdom, and Scarlett was from one that practically bathed in gold. Their families had crossed paths politically—Athena’s had asked for Scarlett’s kingdom’s aid more than once. It gave Scarlett a sense of superiority. Power.

’I thought I had every right to look down on her...’

But after that ball, and after the talk with Florian—something shifted. The next time they bumped into each other, Scarlett hesitated... and for once, she let Athena speak.

And what she heard surprised her.

Beneath Athena’s timid voice and humble manner was someone sharp, curious, and quietly passionate. Scarlett found herself enjoying their talks—more than she ever expected.

’I won’t say it out loud... but I like talking to her.’

She still laughed with Camilla, exchanged witty remarks with Bridget, and shared polite moments with Mira. But Athena? Athena brought her a kind of calm. A strange, gentle peace that Scarlett didn’t know she needed.

’She doesn’t even want to be here. Just like me.’

"So, do any of you have any suggestions?"

Scarlett blinked.

She hadn’t noticed she’d been staring at Athena—until the other girl turned to her and smiled.

Scarlett’s heart skipped.

Her face turned bright red, and she abruptly stood from her seat, the motion quick and ungraceful. She didn’t even know why she stood—only that she suddenly wanted to flee. Hide.

But before she could move, Bridget turned toward her, curious.

"Oh, Princess Scarlett, do you have a suggestion?"

Scarlett froze.

All eyes turned to her.

She was standing, flushed, caught like a deer in headlights.

’Shit.’