# Chapter 35
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I always thought that Marquis Pilfrontz is a man who plays drums and janggu alone.
Thanks to his cheerful nature, there was no awkwardness even when we were alone, but on the other hand, his excessive sociability was burdensome.
I forced the corners of my mouth to smile and smiled.
"That's right.
Marquis, how are you?
What's happening in the castle...
...?"
"I've come to see Her Majesty the Empress.
"You've been psychologically exhausted lately, so it seems like you need some comfort."
Marquis Philfronts silently blurted out something that he had neither asked nor questioned.
Are you tired and need comfort?
It was a sound that could have been mistaken for someone hearing the marquis acting as the empress's lover.
However, Marquis Audrine was the Empress's biological family, and Marquis Philfronts was the Empress's brother and sister, separated by more than 10 years.
Adult circumstances that I could not know must have been exchanged between the two.
“I think the Empress is in a very bad way.
"I hope it gets better soon."
He laughed softly.
"I think it would be best to convey your regards to His Majesty the Emperor rather than the Empress."
"Yes?"
In response to my question, Marquis Philfronts bowed and spoke in a whisper.
"Didn't you know?
His Majesty the Emperor has been feeling very unwell recently.
At the latest, in the autumn of this year...
...
."
Marquis Philfronts stopped and slowly straightened his back.
The curve of the eyes and the height of the corners of the mouth facing the nose were quite mysterious.
"I think it would be better to stop spitting harsh words here.
"The atmosphere in the imperial palace is not very good, so I hope Lady Katrina slowly prepares her mind."
He nodded briefly and then turned his back on me and walked away.
His Majesty's health is not good.
Can you easily inform me about such an important matter?
As expected, Marquis Philfrontz was a man whose true feelings were unknown.
After he left, I stood still for a while and then turned around and started walking.
Fortunately, Nezar's castle was not far from the place where we met Marquis Pilfronts, so we were able to get there quickly.
The castle maid recognized my face and led me to the room with a happy expression.
“What would you like for tea?
"We have rosemary, hibiscus, lavender and chamomile."
"I want to drink something sweet.
"Can you just add honey to the water?"
"Yes, I will prepare it immediately."
When your mouth is dry, sweet drinks are better than bitter and sour drinks.
On our first reunion in almost two weeks, I straightened my hair and clothes and took a deep breath.
Although we have known each other for several years, my heart still trembles and my will to fight increases when I meet Nezar.
It was less so when he personally visited Ezelot, but when I visited the imperial castle like now, I was very nervous, perhaps because it was not a comfortable space.
How many times was this the first time I visited you in person?
Was it the fourth time?
According to my previous experience, Nezar opened the door less than three minutes after I got comfortable in the room.
Suddenly.
"Kate came to visit me?
With this guy's personality, there's no way he would come to me so suddenly...
...
."
like now.
The look we encounter becomes strangely distorted.
As if reacting to this, my body suddenly stood up.
That was the end of it.
He stood up, but a heavy, dense silence fell between him and me, like a flowing river of iron.
oh my God.
How can I have nothing to say even though my heart is pounding!
I opened my lips with great difficulty, trying not to separate them.
"So how are you?"
Only then did Nezar, who was standing there as if he was nailed to the spot, move his legs.
However, that doesn't mean he responded to my greeting or nodded in approval.
He sat across from me with a devastated expression on his face.
And naturally, I picked up the overturned cup and poured some tea. what?
When did the car arrive again?
"Sit down, Kate.
Why are you like that?
"If anyone sees you, they'll think you're going to a tiger's den to be eaten."
Is it really like that?
Upon hearing Nezar's words, he touched his cheek and bent his knees.
"What brings you to my castle?
Even when you left Ezelot, you didn't even turn your head towards the system.
"I thought you were here to borrow my ancestral rite when you tripped over a rock while walking down the street, but it turns out that wasn't the case."
Clear golden water rippled along with a calm tone.
"What strange things have you come to say again?"
"If anyone hears this, they'll think I'm a troublemaker who just causes accidents every time I come!
"I don't think you know anything, but while Nezar was gone, I also diminished my reputation for being brutal."
Even if I try to respond calmly, I can't.
I took the cup of tea he held out towards me.
"There's no particular reason to come.
"I just thought I'd see your face while I was on the islands."
"ride?"
"Yes.
Uh, last night was the end of the victory celebration festival.
Let's watch fireworks...
...
."
I felt like thorns were growing in my mouth as I tried to come up with a lie.
Nezar, the biggest persimmon in the empire, narrowed his eyes.
Although I haven't committed a serious crime, cold sweat runs down my back.
"I actually didn't know it was going to fall so soon.
I was planning to wait a few hours.
"I guess you weren't busy?"
"I'm really busy.
"I can't even remember what I've been doing the last few days."
Even though I was in the car, I was the only one drinking.
Nezar looked at the car, which was tidy and clean, without a single word, and let out the words like a sigh.
"When I look at your face, I feel like all the stress and desire to sleep that has been building up at once comes to me.
I think it's time to take a break, so I'm going to throw everything away and enjoy my free time.
"Do you know what I mean, Ron?"
Nezar's aide, Ron, who I didn't even know was following him, laughed empty-handed, using only the corners of his mouth without changing his expression.
"It is said that a good ruler doesn't have good subjects to do the job, but I'm still not sure I'm a good subject."
"Then let's take this opportunity to check.
Even if it's insufficient, what's the problem?
"Go back to the field and plow the fields."
"You don't know what.
"The world doesn't even give a chance for a talented person like me to return home."
"Then shut up and do your work for me.
"Stop acting like a child."
Ron, who was only laughing weakly despite Nezar's harsh words, made eye contact with me.
“Look at this, Mistress Katrina.
Although His Majesty Nezar is so kind to his ladies, he is not very polite when dealing with his subordinates.
"If you keep doing that, are you going to end up punching me?"
Is Nezar being nice to me?
Where the hell are you going?
Since I have no empathy for you, I can't even agree with you out of courtesy.
Nezar, who was leaning back deeply in his chair, ready to lie down, replied in a calm voice.
"Rockherd already hit me once.
"If you do it once, twice is easy, so you better be careful."
"Now you're even bragging about it openly.
"Is it okay to harass someone's precious child?"
"That bastard said so much nonsense that I even proposed..." ...
."
"Now that I've said that, I need to say one more thing.
Stop visiting that damn knight training camp!
One day when they were pretending to relieve stress, they hid and started cutting themselves, resulting in bruises on the knights' limbs.
It's okay to throw punches during sparring just to practice real combat, but in the first place, the 3rd Knight is just a standing army and it's a place where untitled aristocrats come and go to show off.
"What are you going to do if something else comes out? late?"
It was clear that I had come here to meet Nezar, but Ron and Nezar were having a deep conversation.
Still, it was very refreshing to see Nezar listening to complaints while failing to survive right in front of his nose.
He just looked at my face with a shocked expression and immediately grabbed my forehead with his hand.
"I'm going crazy...
...
.
Yes, it was my fault for opening my mouth in the first place.
Don't bother me and leave now.
"Please remember that saying you are taking time off from work is not a frivolous thing to say."
"Yes."
After Ron left, the cold room became silent again.
Now is your chance.
In moments like this, you naturally ask what you need, as if you just remembered!
I rolled my eyes, looked around, and slowly dropped the teacup from my hand.
"Nezar."
The one who was looking at the table silently raised his head at my call.
"You seem to be a lot busier than you think.
Is there anything you need or are missing?
"I thought I might be able to help."
"you."
...
...Did I hear wrong?
Without even having time to save face, I picked up my ears and looked again.
Nezar's peaceful features were still visible before my eyes, as if nothing had happened.
"Even if you don't need anything, there are plenty of things you don't need.
Sleep deprivation, fatigue, indigestion, Rockherd Ezelot's barking, Ron Minerva's grumbling, mother's intrusiveness, Breit Taliyah's neglect, Duke Van's excessive attention...
...
."
His lips, which were slightly open as if he was going to recite more, slowly twitched.
With his eyebrows furrowed and his arms crossed on the sofa, he slowly closed and opened his eyes as if he was thinking about something.
A thick shadow appeared on his face and his pupils appeared dark and sunken.
"Right.
"The reason you came to see me was because of the gift you mentioned last time?"
oh my god.
Isn't that how you read people?
I was surprised and hurriedly hid my relaxed facial muscles by lifting the teacup.
“What, what, what are you talking about?
Gifts are prepared without the person's knowledge.
I'm just asking this.
"It's not a gift, it's a matter of helping."
"I guess that's why you visited the island.
Not bad.
"Seeing as they came to my castle, does that mean my income was very disappointing?"
"...
...huh."
This isn't because I'm stupid.
In front of Nezar, even a thousand-year-old serpent has no choice but to express his inner truth.
There was something about Nezar that stopped people from moving.
But why doesn't my heart realize this?
"Kate, do you think I'm missing something?"
"no."
Nezar laughed at the blunt denial.
"No no.
Hmm, I don't remember if there's a place I can get that right now."
"Then let's pretend this never happened."
"Wait.
"What's so urgent when you have so much time?"
Nezar clicked his tongue and finally touched the car.
It was half cold and the surface was motionless, but heavy and sunken.
He brought his nose closer to taste the scent and frowned slightly when he realized it was honey water, not black tea.
"When I think about it, nothing comes to mind.
"You can grant my wishes later."
"Where is that?
Are you trying to trick me into asking me to do something weird so I can't refuse?
Do you think I will be fooled again this time? no chance."
It seemed like an annual event every Nezhar's birthday.
I always shuddered with regret because I was fooled into thinking I would put it off until later because I wasn't in a hurry.
Things like walking around the castle wearing a big teddy bear costume, making him read literacy books, or practicing the dance he had been putting off.
Looking back, half the choices were for me, but the problem is, the other half weren't.
No, first of all, why are you asking me to read a literacy book based on your desire?
Faced with my firm refusal, Nezar removed the hand holding his chin.
Then, she lifted her lips, which were drooping from fatigue, into a genuine smile.
"I'm not going to ask you to do anything weird, so just let me."
"Even if you don't believe me?"
"My honor and status and, um...
...
.
I swear on everything else.
"I will not use my wish to harass or provoke Katrina Ezelot."
"...
...really?"
I ended up shaking my head at the confident face he made.
Nezar, who smiled once more and swallowed all the honey water, stood up, frowning as if the rich sweetness was a difficulty.
"good.
Well then, shall we leave now?
I have some things scheduled today, so I'll stay for a day and then come back.
Oh, don't forget to send the letter to the countess."