# Chapter 15
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It was the day before the departure ceremony of the northern imperial expeditionary force.
I had already heard seven days ago that Lockherd and Nezar had been named commanders of the advance guard.
It was a shocking story, but it wasn't enough to stop me from eating and drinking, so one day, two, three days passed.
Rockherd was so busy that he didn't come home for seven days.
I knocked on Rockherd's door every morning to see his face for the last time.
Even if it was always empty.
The day Rockherd returned to Ezelot was the day before the departure ceremony, that is, today.
"Rockherd?"
Rockherd returned home not alone, but with Nezar by his side.
"What's that expression?
Did you miss me so much?
"If I touch you even lightly, will tears like chicken shit start to flow?"
Rockherd lifted me by the waist and briefly kissed my forehead.
I couldn't bear to punch him, asking where his lips were.
Wasting no time, Rockherd went to his mother.
Leaving Nezar and I alone.
I felt a strange sense of fear as I faced Nezar, whom I hadn't seen in almost two weeks.
When I realized that the man in front of me was heading towards a battlefield that I had only vaguely imagined, a terrible sense of reality washed over me like a tidal wave.
A battlefield is a place where people die.
If Nezar dies, I...
...
.
As I imagined the worst-case scenario dozens of times in my head, the person involved, Nezar, seemed much more relaxed than I had seen him before.
Until Rockherd arrived, he was sitting at the ivory fountain reading Charon's letter, then he dragged Nezhar with him and sat down near the fountain.
Why is there nothing to say?
I folded the letter in my hand and handed it to him.
The look that was staring at me turned to the letter.
"Look at this, Nezar.
"This is the letter I received from Charon last night."
Long, strong fingers unfolded Charon's letter.
Unlike me, who had to separate each sentence to understand it, he skimmed the text in one go.
"Unlike others, your sentences are cool.
"The font is also smooth."
As he said, Charon's writing was becoming more eloquent every day.
Seeing that I often included words that I don't like using, it felt like my sentences were being corrected by Professor Soyang.
"Now it's routine for the two of us to exchange letters.
Thanks to you, I think it's good to relearn how to write, which I've been putting aside for some time.
"Rick can be a little hostile, but he's a good teacher."
"Rick?"
"Rockherd has been busy, so I haven't even seen him these days, and Eden is stuck in his office and won't come out.
"Rick's the only one I hang out with lately."
Even so, he was busy pointing out my expression and spelling with his eyes wide open.
The only letter I expected from Charon was once or twice a week, so each day was extremely boring.
No, half the day was boring just breathing, and the other half was depressed, worried about Nezar and Rockherd.
I have to hold my debutante quickly so I can leave Ezelot.
"Nezar, tomorrow is the departure ceremony.
"Is it okay to stay here like this?"
The face reading the letter is as blunt as ever.
Finally, he folded the letter again and handed it to me.
"If you can't give it to your fiancée, it's not time, it's karma."
As soon as the letter was handed to me, Nezar tapped the tip of my nose with his finger.
To be honest, it hurt a little, but I couldn't show my irritation on his face.
On the contrary, he was willing to be beaten ten more times.
"To be honest, I feel like I'm dealing with someone who's about to die."
"You're being very abusive, Kate.
"Just showing a smiling face won't be enough."
Upon hearing this sound, I used all my facial muscles to make a wide smile.
As if my appearance was very funny, Nezar started laughing for the first time in about 15 days.
It was just a light laugh, but a laugh was a laugh.
"Yes, Kate.
When I get back...
...
."
Nezar stopped talking and suddenly frowned.
He bit his lip as if he didn't like something and continued.
"It seems like there's a long time to go before I get back.
"It wouldn't make much sense to say that now."
He didn't make a fuss about what he was trying to say.
As he turned his body and followed the goldfish in the fountain with his eyes, I rolled my head intently.
If we part today, in the years to come I will only be able to know Nezar through the perfume, the atmosphere and the texture that remain in my memory.
"Can't you send letters?"
“Because our situation could leak.
"It's difficult in many ways."
He was so determined that I didn't even regret it.
"I'm not even twenty yet.
You're not going to leave me a widow, are you?"
"If you look at the vow, there is an item that says if you die before marriage, the vow itself may be invalidated.
So don't worry.
"If you don't know anything, you can ask Ron."
My eyes widened as the sentences came out as if they had been prepared.
"What you just said made me even more worried, didn't it?
In that case, you should tell them not to worry because they will return safely.
"Nezar is the crown prince and he doesn't know it?"
"These days, I feel like no matter what I say, I get criticized.
'Am I really that bad?'
Who in the world could say that the crown prince of an empire is evil?
I shook my head without responding.
He's not terrible.
My complaint simply increased.
Nezar, who was looking into my eyes, immediately reached into his vest's inner pocket.
He flicked his wrist vigorously, and after a while, he took out something and placed it in my palm.
It was a hair tie with daffodils embroidered with silver thread on a thin red cloth.
"These things are originally given to those who remain...
...
."
Did it take you so long to get this out?
Or maybe he was embarrassed to show it to me.
"Even if you go around the world, you won't find another groom like me.
"You think so too, right?"
For a moment I cried and the tip of my nose felt hot.
I lowered my head and stroked the daffodil in my palm.
I craned my neck to speak in a voice that didn't shake.
"Thanks, Nezar.
I'll keep it well.
"I wash it well once a week, dry it in the sun, fix it if it breaks, and wear it all day anyway."
Upon hearing my words, Nezar turned his head and burst into laughter.
He shook his body to the point where his shoulders shook and then gently rubbed my back appreciatively.
I pretended to straighten my hair and pressed my eyes without Nezar knowing.
"It's fine, it's fine.
"I heard you speak very well."
The day after the departure ceremony was scheduled.
I simply locked myself in my room and lay there all day with the excuse that I had a stomach ache.
I don't know when we will meet again, but I didn't want to leave the ugly image of crying.