# Chapter 32
---
Rockherd, who had taken off his riding hat, felt a calm different from five years ago.
"Hey, Kate.
Please speak calmly.
"Which family do you have in mind?"
Seeing that he said something unexpected, it seemed like Nezar had chosen his words.
Yes, he was always like that.
I looked at the sunset light falling on my boots and accepted without much thought.
"You said it well.
"I just need a man I like, so could you introduce me to a good man around me?"
The dust rising in the scarlet glow slowly settled on my boots.
"I swear, even if you search everywhere, you won't be worse than Nezar."
"I know.
Still, there must be at least one person who can compare to him."
"Do you think it's easy to find a man like that?
I think you always forget, but Ezelot is one of the most famous families in the Kabal Empire.
Let alone your doctor, would your father send you to the heir of a mediocre family?
"At least there shouldn't be anything to sigh about compared to Ezelot."
A man of no lesser status and honor than Ezelot.
There was one person who immediately came to mind.
“Little Duke Pansion?”
Rockherd's expression subtly hardened again.
If before he looked like he had swallowed an undercooked potato, now he looked like he had swallowed undercooked paprika.
“Kick Nezar and go to Enterera?
You are planning to completely destroy the crown prince's face.
I'd rather you fall in love with Ezelot's knight.
In that case, we will be able to hide the reason for breaking the engagement.”
The image I imagined by itself took on a plausible form after talking to Rockherd.
The more I thought about it, the more his words made more sense.
Because I didn't buy it and suffer like that simply for my own good.
ha...
...
, There will be no one in the world as miserable as me.
After all, I am in a position to find a lover for the person I like, and that is only at the age of 20!
Feeling depressed, I opened the letter that I had crumpled in my pocket.
When I carefully read the part I had leafed through, half the paper was filled with the names of unknown women.
Lily Amasra, Caroline Akhtor...
...
.
The idea of having to find Nezar's taste among these made me feel frustrated once again.
"Rockherd, do you know what Nezar's ideal type is?"
Chickens were used instead of pheasants, and even Rockherd's useless advice was desperately needed.
After looking at the coniferous forest without saying a word for a while, he replied.
"Hmm, that's a very difficult question."
Rockherd turned his head, narrowed his eyes, and meticulously studied my face.
He looked closely, examining every little crevice, including the corners of her eyes, forehead, lips, and cheeks.
My pouting expression was clearly visible in the rolled eyes.
"It certainly sounds like a unique flavor...
...
.
How should I express this?
Troublemaker?
"A troublemaker?"
In the past, I would have sincerely accepted it, but there was no way such wordplay would make sense to me now.
"Who wants to describe me in their head?
"What I asked is Nezar's ideal type."
"Even if I tell you, it's a mess."
Rockherd gently rubbed his chin as if he was seriously thinking about it.
Eventually, a familiar but unfamiliar name left my cold, purple lips.
"Lily Amasra."
I frowned and picked up Charon's letter again.
If I remember correctly, there was definitely a similar name among the feminine foods mentioned by Charon.
“If I had to choose someone else, the second daughter of the Amasra family would be appropriate.”
***
Lily Amasra.
The golden jade leaf of Count Amasra's family graduated at the top of her class in the Imperial Academy's physics department the year before last.
It is a given that women from prestigious noble families enter academia.
However, it was limited to literature, history, philosophy and, to broaden its scope, art.
Even I, who knew nothing but rat droppings, knew that there was an unwritten rule that women could not enter physics, astronomy and architecture.
In the Cabal Empire, or rather in this world, mathematics and physics are the exclusive domain of men.
Perhaps because of this, even the noble women who supposedly acquired some knowledge could barely make divisions.
By the way, did Lily Amasra graduate at the top of her class in physics?
And even at the Imperial Academy?
"Is that possible?"
At my question, Rockherd turned his bored, blinking eyes to me.
"Normally it's impossible.
There are too many seniors in a closed field like yours, so finding a gap and squeezing in is like picking stars in the sky.
So it must have been one of the main issues that year that Amasra's daughter became the best graduate in the physics department.
"I heard that even conservative professors, considered the worst, fell in love with him at first sight and received a flood of offers to go to graduate school."
Just listening to her you can clearly feel that she is an unusual woman.
Such an incredible talent is close to Nezar's ideal type...
...
.
I think I'm as desperate as nails.
"Kate, so why did you drag me here?"
Rockherd's voice when he said this was weak and without any strength.
I looked up from the Ezelot tourist brochure I was leafing through and made eye contact with him.
As soon as we entered the paved road, the noise of the carriage quieted down.
Because I overslept, I skipped breakfast and lunch, and the combination of hunger and frustration made me feel sick.
"My mother never lets me go out alone.
So I said I would accompany him, so put him in a suitable place and leave.
Rockherd responded with an absurd expression.
"Your mom can't leave you alone, so do you think I can do this?"
"Then you can follow me and act as porter.
I didn't even bring a servant with me, so that's good!
Are you planning on wandering around for the next three hours?"
"So where can I leave you?"
Either way, you're just talking out loud, saying you're going to be offended.
"Jesus Finwolf 4th Street."
Rockherd nodded and after another two hours, we managed to reach the island.
Pinwolf 4th Street is an alley behind the Pinwolf Hotel, the most upscale hotel on the island.
In that deserted alley, there was a relatively beautiful antique shop run by the family's former butler, Peltz.
Plus, that store was my first destination today.
Soon the carriage stopped moving.
Are we there yet?
"You can't be trusted.
I don't think it will work.
I will bring a knight from the Imperial Guard who is on leave, and with that knight...
...
."
Rockherd pretended to let him go without making much of it, but he never forgot to pester him to the end.
"What kind of nuisance is this?
That's it, let's go!
Well, then you can just borrow someone from the hotel.”
I closed the carriage door with a loud bang and fell to the ground.
The irritation began again, so I advised the coachman to leave quickly and quickly entered Peltz's shop.
rattle.
"Welcome to fifty...
...
.
Oh my God, who is that?
"I almost didn't recognize him."
"Don't joke, Peltz.
"You came here this time last year too."
The interior smelled of old wood and beeswax.
The windows were covered with blackout curtains, so there was a somewhat damp atmosphere inside, but even that was familiar and comfortable to me.
Yuck.
It's comfortable, but it doesn't help my broken stomach.
On an island always full of people and life, this antique shop was the only place that gave me a sense of relief.
Peltz, who was turning the pages of a book behind the antique counter, relying on the light, appeared to have twice as many wrinkles, even though they had only seen each other again for the first time in a year.
I first walked in front of him and sat on the wooden chair provided.
"I heard Master Rockherd has returned home.
How are you?"
"It's a relief to be so well.
I didn't want to see it anymore, but things are very strong these days.
"There's even more commotion because Eden is away from the castle!"
"haha.
You have endured five years on the battlefield.
How much peace of mind do you feel?
Miss, please understand a little more.
After saying this, Peltz put the kettle on.
I just pouted and silently watched him move his old body to greet me.
Soon, small madeleines scented with lemon and hot white coffee were brought to the table.
Maybe it was because I was hungry, but it looked more appetizing than any other food in the world.
"That's all I can offer you.
"I always prepare something just in case, but today I ran out of drinks again."
"Don't say that.
I've had enough of these madeleines.
"Peltz knows my tastes, so I don't need to pick up tasteless pieces of bread to eat."
The old man laughed softly and sipped his coffee in silence.
"Your face looks like you're worried."
Then I quickly swallowed the bread crushed in my mouth.
"I received a very precious gift from Your Majesty.
I have never given an embroidered scarf as a gift before, so I promised to return the favor this time, but I don't know what would be appropriate.
"I was tired of just worrying, so I decided to go out today."
"You never gave your brothers birthday presents?"
“Uhm, right.
So I had no idea what to give a man to make him like it."
"How about asking the masters?" In particular, Master Lockherd is an old friend of His Highness Nezhar."
I shook my head very firmly at Peltz's words.
“Asking Rockherd is the last, last, last resort.
"I don't ever want to use it either."
If you ask why this is a last resort, there is a lot to say.
But what made me curious wasn't Rockherd, so I stopped talking, picked up a teaspoon and cut the madeleine in two.
What gift would make Nezar happy?
He has the greatest honor and wealth in the empire, and not only has a huge territory, but also a mountain of loyal subjects who sacrifice their lives...
...
.
What can I really do for you?
I've been thinking about this for several days, but the conclusion has always been one.
There are many things that can be done, but Nezar doesn't really need them all.
He was the most perfect human being I have ever met.
There seemed to be no flaws in Nezar's character, much less his status and background.
I thought it would be better to give a beautiful brooch or fountain pen as a gift.
Because it is something that can be used at least once.
"I'm sure you'll be happy to know the young lady is thinking so."
"It doesn't mean anything.
"The more you think about it, the better the results will be."
rattle.
It was then.
The door, which had been closed since I entered, rang again and opened again.
"Mr.
Peltz, are you there?
It's not time yet, but Grandpa Zed told me to bring him a torch...
...
."
The visitor was a boy who seemed to know Peltz.
The boy, who made eye contact with me while looking around the room, jumped in place and lowered his head.
“S-sorry.
I didn't know there were guests...
...
."
I took my eyes off the boy and looked at Peltz.
He had a gentle expression as always.
"Did you have an appointment?
I shouldn't have said that.
"I was holding it in for no reason."
"You just need to slow down a little.
"It's been a long time since I last saw you, but I can't keep thinking about the promises I make to the elderly people I see all the time."
"It's okay.
"It was Peltz who said you should treat the people closest to you more."
I put on the hat I had left and wrapped it with a scarf.
In that case, I thought I would have to go to the hotel first and rent a carriage.
As I tried to make plans one by one, I regretted not bringing Daisy.
"Thank you for listening to me today, Peltz.
Still, I feel relieved from the frustration of just worrying.
"I'll be back next time."