# Chapter 27
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Nezar's look at me became strangely distorted.
The corners of his eyes were raised so slightly that it was difficult to understand what that meant.
The answer he expected came not from him, but from Lockherd.
'I'll do it soon.
There have already been rumors about who is on the list.
By the way, your name was there too, Kate.
My eyes widened at the unexpected words.
'really?
'Is my name on the list of candidates for Nezar's fiancé?'
'It's just a list.'
Nezar's voice was firm and professional, as if he were drawing a firm line.
When I looked at his face with bright eyes, he quickly turned his head away as if he felt overwhelmed.
'The cause is the best because our family is one of the few members of the royal family.
Kate is probably one of the princesses Her Majesty most desires.'
'Well, don't worry, Kate, if you don't want to, you'll be excluded from the nominations.
Besides you, there are almost ten other ladies...
...
.'
'Who doesn't?
Even if the sky falls, you will never hate it.
So do it with me, Nezar.
'Marry me!'
I jumped out of my chair, left my boots behind, and ran barefoot across the meadow.
At the same time, Nezar, who was in the saddle, sighed deeply as if the horse's back was about to break.
Stretching his arms over the top, he lifted me slightly and sat me in the front of the saddle.
'Kate, are you saying you know what marriage is?'
'You consider me an idiot who doesn't even know how to get married.
Anyway, are you afraid that I won't even know about it?
Marriage means swearing before a bishop to be a lifelong partner, having children, and passing on descendants.
'How will descendants be inherited?'
'If you pray sincerely, a stork will fly into your bed and leave your child on your first night as a newlywed.'
'Puh hahaha!'
Rockherd, who was slowly climbing the meadow, rolled over and laughed.
Why is Rockherd laughing when you talk to Nezar?
I forgot that I had boldly confessed and looked at Rockherd's disgusting face.
Rockherd, who couldn't control his body for a while, cleared his throat loudly while riding his horse, Anastasia.
'It's such a clear answer that even a biology teacher would be surprised.
Fourteen is perfect for making engagement vows.
'Our Kate is all grown up, all grown up.'
'Are you kidding me?'
'not at all.'
While his lips were pursed, Nezar got off his horse and slowly walked to the stream.
Black hair, as black as night, moved gently under the refreshing blue autumn sky.
He grabbed my leather boots that were lying next to the rock and walked past Rockherd to stand beside me.
'If you marry me and become the crown princess, you will have to stay in the castle for the rest of your life and just breathe.
"You will never experience this kind of freedom again."
'It doesn't matter.
I'm very used to just staying in the castle.
So, I will stay by Nezar's side for the rest of my life.'
'Stop talking immaturely and put your shoes on quickly.
'I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than take you as my wife.'
'what?
Where is this?
'Did I do something wrong?'
Before I knew it, the soles of my feet, which were covered in dirt and grass, were now clean except for a little dust.
Nezar patted the dirty handkerchief, crumpled it in his back pocket, and carefully put on my shoes.
As I was stretching my lips, I heard the sound of Rockherd clicking his tongue in my head.
'There is no one who speaks and acts as independently as you.'
— You shut up.
'Yes yes.'
Finally, Nezar, who had even tied his boot laces loosely, let me off the horse.
Sweat-soaked black hair falls below his forehead and sways gently.
His face smiled slightly when he met my dissatisfied expression.
The shape of the beautifully curved eyebrows couldn't have been more stunning.
From that day on, every time I saw Nezar's face, I was busy making noise to sign our engagement vows.
Looking back, I felt that I was truly admirable for sticking to just one man for the sake of respect as a noble lady.
But for me, Nezar is not just a man.
Suddenly I came to my senses.
Meanwhile, I was not in a dark night, but rather on a bench in the rose garden, surrounded by the soft lights of the garden.
There were no words from Nezar as he stared at the glass paperweight in his hand with blank eyes.
No, it's not that he wasn't saying anything, but he was resting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin, making an expression that was difficult to understand.
"As expected, there is something. yes?"
"What, what, I don't know what you're talking about."
I've never shook my head so hard in the world.
However, despite his passionate and sincere apology, Nezar's suspicious eyes did not disappear.
"Then answer quickly.
"What are you hesitating about?"
I was in trouble.
Unlike the heart, which was in a festive mood of joy and happiness, the mind was divided into reason and emotion, and they competed closely with each other.
In times like these, you shouldn't get too excited.
I calmly collected my mind and exhaled comfortably.
This is definitely a formal proposal.
He and I are engaged, announced by the Emperor, and Crown Prince Nezhar's marriage was a very important factor in the process of stability of the Kabal Empire after the long war.
Therefore, it was natural and appropriate for Nezar to convey his intention to marry me.
Because I'm your only fiancé.
But I won't accept his proposal.
If Nezar's sympathy ended in marriage, there would be no benefit to either side.
Due to Nezar's personality, even if he has a lover, he will secretly keep her in a place where my eyes cannot see, and then I will feel his absence and dry up in solitude.
Damn, it was such a miserable future that just imagining it brought tears to my eyes.
Yes, no matter what you think about it, the wedding shouldn't happen!
That didn't mean I had the confidence to reject his proposal, which was as sweet as a whipped cream cake.
"Give me time to think.
"I'm still not sure I can handle being empress."
Now that things have reached this point, I have no choice but to postpone my response for a bit.
But Nezar snorted and took the musk rose from my ear.
"Do you think I'm a small baron on a small country estate...
...
.
I'm the crown prince of the Kabal Empire, and since you promised to be engaged to me, it's only natural that we get married.
There are only two ways to dissolve a marriage.
"All three of Ezelot's brothers died in an unexpected accident, leaving you as the only one left to continue the family succession, or running away holding another man's hand."
The bridge of Nezar's nose was covered in a dark curtain of shadows, bathed in the musky roses swaying before him and the chandelier light streaming in from the hallway beyond.
"Are you really going to run away hand in hand with a stranger while I'm alive and well?"
"no!"
"So you plan to kill the above brothers one by one and become Count Ezelot?"
"Not at all.
No chance."
"Then it will be easy.
"I'm afraid I'll say something nonsense again, so I'm telling you in advance that you have no choice but to become an empress."
Of course, an engagement isn't something that can be called off easily, but I didn't expect them to go through with the engagement so firmly.
Now that things have reached this point, I wondered if I should give up on my lonely future and enjoy reality.
Accept the proposal calmly and enjoy the momentary sweetness.
Nezar, who was looking into my eyes, threw the flower he was holding onto the ground.
Her straight, tightly closed lips perfectly represented her feelings.
When I couldn't say anything and cringed like a child being scolded, he opened his mouth again.
"Again, that expression again.
I know you're often hard to understand, but this time I don't know what you're thinking.
"What's the matter?"
Nezar must have clearly been worried because he was surprised by the sound and nailed it once again.
"When I ask nicely, please respond calmly.
"Don't cry and cry again later."
"It would be very hard for Nezar to marry someone as weak as me.
And it's not like you really like me.
Upon hearing my words, Nezar pressed his forehead and looked at the ground for a moment, as if he had a severe headache.
Now that I say that, it was definitely a childish rant.
When I vaguely thought about it in my head, I thought it was for Nezar and me, but when I tried to put it into words, it was just childish.
"So I guess this marriage isn't because I don't like you?"
Nezar straightened his back again and made eye contact with me.
"Hey, Kate.
I clearly told you to develop responsibility for every decision you make, right?
"What kind of big thing were you thinking about during the five years I came back to you after acting like a dog?"
Because of this responsibility, Nezar raised me on his back until now.
That's why I could understand Nezar's words perfectly, but at the same time, the fact that he didn't say he liked me until the end made me a little unhappy.
How can you not say at least once that you like someone, even if they are just empty words?
At this point, in addition to the fact that I was unattractive, my pride was hurt.
Not only does this make me depressed, it also makes me angry.
"No matter what you say, I can't answer right now.
It would be hard to find a nicer man than Nezar, but at least there's a man who likes me somewhere."
Now he was halfway there.
I really want to marry a man who likes me, but you won't say a word that you like me until the end?
But that was simply my position, and it was Nezar who actually rejected the proposal.
He crossed his arms and maintained a grim expression, but then nodded silently.
I couldn't see clearly, but the area around my cheek felt very hard, as if it had been frozen.
"good.
I'm proud too, but I can't force myself to marry a woman I don't like.
So if you want to break off the engagement, don't just talk about it, convince me with your actions.
"So that we can be recognized even if it's not a fair procedure."
Due process for the dissolution of a marriage is often directly related to infertility or succession issues.
Even if you don't know the former, the latter had absolutely nothing to do with me.
So are you really telling me to hold the man's hand and run away?
"How can I be recognized?"
"Bring me a man who likes you.
I will never admit that I ran away.
"I will go to the ends of the continent and harass you until your blood dries."
Although it was clearly a calm voice, it made my back feel so cold it hurt.
Especially when spitting out the last sentence, it felt like I was chewing on my molars.
Goosebumps appeared on both of their empty shoulders.
"The deadline is four months from today.
Just know that I can't wait any longer."
"Are you asking me to bring you a man to marry within four months?
"It's too short!"
"How dare the guy who rejected my proposal need more time than that?"
I have nothing to say.
When my momentum slowed, Nezar spoke next.
"Whether it's one person or a hundred people, bring them all in without hiding them or leaving them out.
"I need to check his face to see what kind of guy he is."
It was a face that looked like it would not just stop at scanning, but would dig it up and bury it after scanning.
Although I was scared for no reason, I straightened my shoulders and responded as if nothing had happened.
"good!
That's no big deal.
But shouldn't the opposite also be true?
"If Nezar finds another woman, everything will be complete for us from then on."
"Do what you want.
"It's better to say what you want when you can."
Nezar's face as he said this looked a little more relieved than before.
He, who had never leaned his back against the bench, now relaxed and collapsed onto the bench.
And then he slowly turned his head and made eye contact.
With a very bright smile like no other.
"I'm very curious to know who the man is that you will bring as your lover. honestly."