# Chapter 4
---
Why are you asking me to come back?
Pretending to clear his throat as the corners of his mouth rose, he raised both hands and pressed his cheekbones.
"You said what you need is a girlfriend, right?"
A dark red eye with low saturation was right in front of my nose.
I slowly backed away from him and nodded anxiously.
As the tip of his straight nose approached, I felt like I couldn't breathe.
I moved my butt back for a while, wondering if I could hear my heart pounding.
Nezar pulled my arm as if telling me not to move and lightly tapped my forehead with his finger.
"Don't do weird things alone, like memorizing men's names.
I'll introduce you to Ezaret, so you can date her."
what?
Are you really talking about the princess?
Nezar had two half-brothers.
Princess Ezaret, daughter of the current Empress, and the youngest Prince Andrew.
Being introduced to your stepbrother among many, many women...
...
.
According to imperial law, marriage up to the 6th degree was prohibited in the Kabal Empire.
So it was obvious that even if he was lucky enough to become friends with Ezaret, he wouldn't get any help in breaking off the engagement.
I hurriedly lowered my hand and nodded passionately.
"no!
Oh no, it's not that I don't like it, it's okay."
"why?
Ezaret is only a year older than you.
"Unlike you, I'm calm and relaxed, so you two would probably get along well."
"Calm and relaxed?
"Don't you tend to conflict more when your personalities are opposite?"
"That's when they're completely opposite.
You and that boy have some similarities.
You spend a lot of effort on useless things, or you often don't know what you're thinking...
...
."
You're insulting me now, right?
As I sat silently and listened without responding, Nezar pulled his arm a little closer and spoke in a calm voice.
"I don't know what put you in this mood, but the image people have of Katrina Ezelot cannot be changed so easily.
"I, who have seen you for 7 years, came here to find out what was going on, how much stranger would other people think?"
"...
...
"So what should I do?"
"If you don't want to please women by throwing away your pride, give up completely."
Nezar, who spat out harsh words, smiled softly like whipped cream on a cake.
very bad.
There's a clear reason why I need a girlfriend: calling off an engagement.
Of course, I didn't have the confidence to give a detailed reason, but are you telling me to just give up?
A feeling of disappointment rose up the side of my throat.
He frowned and pushed Nezar's body away.
"Don't say it so carelessly because it's someone else's business.
And no matter what you say, I will definitely get a girlfriend.
"It's not Princess Ezaret!"
Somehow, I felt like I was getting mad at myself for something that didn't matter.
Nezar snorted openly and reached out to cup my face.
The sensitive and dark mood from before disappeared and his usual mischievous expression appeared.
“His Majesty Nezar introduced me personally, but I rejected it.
You haven't come to your senses yet.
I'll be there tomorrow too, so think about your answer until then.
Like I said before, don't just memorize strange people's names."
He got up and disappeared, leaving me alone in the room.
I'll probably go see Rockherd.
Following him, I slowly got up.
The words that I would return tomorrow lingered in my ears and spread like an afterimage.
It was very strange.
I'm not the type of person who usually says things like that...
...
.
***
That morning was like that.
I looked closely at the tea party etiquette book until I went to bed.
When I looked at the dense writing for the first time in a long time, I felt sick to my stomach.
Feeling like I couldn't go any further, I closed the cover of the book I was persistently leafing through.
"daisy."
"yes."
Daisy, who was sitting by the bed diligently combing my hair, answered.
My voice, which had been filled with embarrassment at the way my appearance had changed just a few days ago, softened considerably.
“I mean, girls.
"If you talk about real men, you'll become friends, right?"
"Isn't it a little different for everyone?
But the maids, including me, tend to approach talking about love or men.
"That's the most fun."
"Is there a man in our castle I can talk to..." ...
.
"Who the hell is so popular?"
I think I memorized a lot during the day, but the only name I remembered was Pansion Entera.
Is it because I only heard the name and rumors without even knowing the face?
When it was time to sleep, I was curious to know who this person was.
Daisy lightly brushed my hair one last time, put away her comb, and stood up.
The sound of his light footsteps came from behind my head.
"Usually the stories are about our family's knights.
Maybe because Ezelot is close to the Imperial Castle, stories often come up about the Imperial Guard.
In the case of the Hwangseong Guard, few of us actually know them.
"It just spreads awareness."
That's why the rumors are so scary.
Just thinking about someone I didn't know talking about me wasn't a very pleasant feeling.
This wasn't something to just brush aside as someone else's problem; I had heard from Lockherd that my notoriety, although I was only fifteen years old, was causing quite a stir out there.
The future is so bleak, so bleak.
It was difficult to dare predict what kind of rumors would be circulating about me.
I sighed and crawled under the thin summer blanket.
Daisy came in after cleaning the dresser and pulled the blanket up to my chin.
I whispered softly into his face.
“I mean, I don’t know any of the articles you mentioned.
"How are we supposed to talk when we don't know?"
Daisy, who was looking at the ceiling as if thinking about my words, opened her mouth.
"How about asking Master Rockherd for a favor?
"I'm also a knight in the Imperial Guard, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at the training ground."
What?
I was shocked by her suggestion and shook my head.
Instead of asking Rockherd, it was better to pretend to be crazy and go to Hwangseong alone.
“Ask her a favor?
Are you just talking about other people too?
I'd rather stick my nose in a dish of water and die...
...
."
Daisy smiled slightly, kissed my forehead and left.
The room suddenly went dark and the door closed loudly.
I turned to the window and held my head.
If you want to make friends with women, you have to talk about men.
But I don't know the man.
The Hwangseong Guards are popular among women.
Rockherd is the Imperial Guard.
No matter what I thought about it, going to Rockherd was the best course of action.
It was like an anthill where you couldn't escape even if you tried to find a hole.
"It's okay.
Let's go to the dressing room.
Or you can order embroidery...
...
."
That's what I thought, but when the sun came up, my legs were heading toward Rockherd's room.
I had been pacing back and forth in Lockherd's room since early in the morning when the staff were busy.
I had to come at the end.
I didn't think there would be any requests from Rockherd until the casket was closed, but you never know what will happen to a person's work.
smart.
I knocked on Rockherd's door with shaking hands.
It seemed like it would be less humiliating to bow down to a dog.
Soon the door opened and Rockherd, in uniform, came out.
He looked down and made eye contact, and his eyes were wide open, as if he was very surprised.
However, soon a bright smile appeared on his face as if he was surprised.
To be more precise, a laugh so unpleasant it makes you feel nauseous.
"I can't believe my pretty tomboy came to visit me early in the morning.
"Did the sun rise in the west today?"
Rockherd's voice seemed to roll in butter, and goosebumps rose up my arms in response.
I'm sure that of all the faces I've encountered in recent times, the smile I saw before my eyes was the most disgusting.
I wanted to turn around and go back, but that was literally stopped by the wind.
Because I didn't go to Rockherd's room with a light heart.
As I watched, I struggled to open the words that were blocked.
"Oh, when are you going to work today?"
"Right now."
It's a big deal.
I thought I would have 30 minutes to spare, but instead of getting ready to leave, I came here in light underwear.
Rockherd, who was leaning against the doorframe, must have noticed my embarrassed face and lifted his chin.
He looked at me with a suspicious expression.
"Is there a problem?
If you have something to say, say it, Kate.
Like I said, my brother has to go to the imperial castle right now.”
The islands of the Kabal Empire, where the Imperial Castle is located, are only three hours away from the Ezelot Territory.
However, the Imperial Castle Guard was nominally responsible for many matters inside and outside the Imperial Castle, and its member, Rockherd, could return to Ezelot once every four days.
In other words, if I couldn't talk today, I would only be able to meet Rockherd in four days.
"Take me to the imperial castle too."
As I was in a hurry, I simply blurted out words without any explanation.
However, Rockherd, who was asked to accompany him, straightened his back with an indifferent expression on his face.
He casually turned his shoulder and grabbed the handle.
"good.
I'll give you 10 minutes, so get ready and go downstairs.
"You better hurry, because you can't wait any longer."
what.
Is it normal to allow this so easily?
When I couldn't take the steps, Rockherd grabbed my shoulder and pushed me.
"Didn't you hear me?
They said it was 10 minutes.
Quickly go to your room and get ready.
"You sure don't want to go that way, do you?"
"Aren't you asking why?"
"I know that even if I don't say it, so don't worry.
Ego...
..., so hurry up and get ready?
Should I just take you there?"
Rockherd grabbed my waist and placed me on his shoulder.
It wasn't enough that my vision was in the air and my upper body was shaking back and forth, making me feel like the beef soup I had for breakfast was going to rise.
I hit Rockherd hard on the back with my clenched fist as he advanced.
So in my opinion it was definitely strong.
Rockherd did not appear to suffer any damage.
“Put it down quickly.
"I keep telling you not to treat me like a child, right?"
"Yesterday you made a fuss about being a lady and all, but today you're back to being the tomboy you used to be?
Was it just a whim?"
"Isn't it a whim?
"I'm going to be really quiet, so put it down!"
When he laughed, the shoulders hanging from his belly also shook.
Although Rockherd struggled and made noise, he continued to walk steadily.
How can you so sincerely do something you were told not to do?
I let go of my nervousness and let out an exasperated sigh.
Lockheed heard that sound and laughed again, and after walking down a flight of stairs, he placed me in the hallway.
"Nezar has to work in the morning, so I won't be able to see him until late afternoon.
It'll be boring waiting, so at least grab that thick book you read yesterday.
"You'll be bored looking at the garden in ten minutes."
Nezar?
When I opened the door to my room, I looked at Rockherd with strange eyes.
"I'm not going to see Nezar?"
Rockherd's expression also disintegrated at my words.
"No?
"Then why do you want to follow me?"