“Lavi.”
Half-asleep, Lavi fumbled for the arm holding her hand and burrowed into the warmth of his body heat.
“Mm… my head hurts.”
“It’ll get better soon.”
Slowly, Lavi managed to open one eye and stared at the chest right in front of her, trying to piece together what was going on.
“Akkad?”
“Yes.”
It seemed she’d somehow ended up tucked into Akkad’s arms while he sat perched on the edge of the bed.
“When did you get here?”
“Just a little while ago. You’re sick—why didn’t you say anything?”
Akkad gently laid her back down and brushed the hair clinging to her face aside.
“I just… you seemed really busy.” Lavi glanced at him sidelong and absently fiddled with the hand she was holding. “Honestly, I thought you might be mad at me.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. After last time, you didn’t come, so…”
“That’s not it. I really was busy. I’m sorry.”
Lavi shook her head, saying there was nothing to be sorry about. As she gradually began to feel better, it was like she could finally breathe again.
“My physician has to be a quack.” No matter how much medicine she took, she didn’t seem to improve. “And the priest who came this time was a fraud too.”
“Did it hurt a lot?”
“A little. It’s been so long since I was sick, I guess I’m not used to it. And I think I’ve been dreaming a lot lately, too.”
“Dreams? Nightmares?”
Akkad tightened his grip on her hand as he asked.
“I don’t know. I can’t really remember.”
“Get some good rest today. I’ll hold your hand for a bit before I go.”
Surprised to hear that—words she hadn’t heard in a while—Lavi looked up at him.
“Really?”
“Yeah. So don’t worry. Just sleep.”
“Right away? Since you’re here, I feel like I could stay up and talk a little.”
She said that, but sleep kept washing over her in heavy waves.
It felt like his hand kept stroking her hair until late into the night.
After watching over Lavi, Akkad returned to the estate in the early hours of the morning and was summoned to his father’s study.
The duke finished handling some urgent documents and sat down on the sofa. Looking at Akkad, who seemed unusually subdued, he spoke.
“The war that was under a ceasefire is about to resume.”
“Are you deploying as well, Father?”
“…Yes.”
The duke nodded. As supreme commander holding military authority, it was only natural. The problem was that it didn’t stop with him.
“His Majesty has ordered that you deploy with us.”
“…What?”
Akkad frowned, unable to believe what he was hearing.
“Is it confirmed?”
“Yes. It’s an imperial decree.”
The way his father emphasized the words “imperial decree” only raised more questions. If it were simply a matter of protecting his father’s side, Akkad didn’t feel much resistance to going. But an order from the emperor? He was the sole heir of the family. In a house with only one successor to inherit the title, sending both the head of the family and the heir to war was something that should never happen.
And yet, despite knowing his family’s particular circumstances, the emperor had issued that command. Akkad couldn’t understand it.
“They say it’s because your abilities are exceptional. Ridiculous, really.”
Lately, Akkad had been standing out more and more—among the knights being deployed, he was easily counted among the best. Both the duke and Akkad knew that. Still, it didn’t make sense.
“Is that truly the reason?”
“We’re looking into it, but I don’t expect the decision to change.”
“When?”
“I hear there’s already been one clash in the former truce zone. Prepare immediately.”
Akkad clenched his fist tightly.
With defeat all but certain, he did want to lend his strength. At the very least, he was confident that if he fought alongside his father, he wouldn’t have to hear news of his father’s death.
But whether things would really go as he hoped was uncertain—and there was something else weighing even more heavily on his mind.
As if he could see straight through Akkad’s thoughts, the duke spoke.
“You’re worried about Lavi.”
“…No.”
He’d only just begun thinking about how to confess his feelings to her, and now things were twisting into strange shapes. It felt as though something was deliberately trying to pull him and Lavi apart, telling him not to.
On top of that, he was worried about her health.
He could tell she’d grown far weaker than she’d been as a child, and it wasn’t something he could ignore. Seeing her groaning in pain today had only made it worse. For now, if anything happened, he was close enough to rush to her side—but once he deployed, that wouldn’t be the case.
It could take years.
“I understand the situation isn’t very good.”
“It’s not without hope. We’re being pushed back solely because the enemy commander is exceptional. If we take his head, we can turn everything around.”
The duke let out a sigh as he watched Akkad nod.
No matter how much his skills had improved, he couldn’t help worrying whether Akkad would truly be able to adapt to the battlefield. This was nothing like killing masked attackers during the carriage ambush two years ago. This was a place where, if you didn’t kill, you were the one who died. And it wouldn’t end there—he would see every kind of filth imaginable. How was he supposed to bear it? If the borders were pushed back, villages where imperial citizens lived could be plundered. The more he thought about it, the worries never ended.
“Then I’ll prepare, knowing that.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
“No, Father.”
Akkad left the study and leaned back against the wall.
His thoughts were in complete disarray.
Maybe it was for the best that he hadn’t confessed his feelings to Lavi on the day they’d gone to the temple.
Forcing down the urge to go see her immediately, Akkad recalled the conversation they’d shared that day. He couldn’t tell what kind of misunderstanding Lavi was laboring under—or how she’d arrived at it. He also couldn’t understand why Werner kept coming up whenever they had those kinds of conversations.
Never once had it crossed his mind that she might think he liked men. And now, believing that clearing up the misunderstanding would be pointless in the current situation anyway, Akkad clenched his fist tightly.
Rumors swept through the capital that the war, once held at bay by a ceasefire, was about to begin again.
Up until the festival, the atmosphere within the empire had been lively, but it turned heavy almost overnight. That was hardly surprising. Even before the truce, the outcome of the war had already seemed all but decided. Everyone was convinced it would be the same this time as well.
As a result, the wedding of Werner and Lady Salome was postponed. Lady Salome had declared that she would be going to the battlefield.
In the original story, I don’t remember the wedding ever being delayed like this—but my memory isn’t clear enough to be certain.
“So the war really is happening…”
It didn’t feel real.
Big sister Rose joining the campaign was unexpected enough, but even more surprising was that her brother had said he would wait for her.
Were they closer than I’d thought? Or were they simply maintaining the engagement because neither of them had a better match?
Then again, it seemed her brother still hadn’t met Felix yet, so there was no way to know what might happen next.
Lost in thought, Lavi finally noticed Allen, who had been watching her for some time now.
“Do you have something you want to say?”
“Wouldn’t it be good to prepare some kind of sword ornament to give Lord Akkad?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I heard Lord Akkad will be going with the duke this time. You weren’t planning to give him nothing… were you unaware?”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense was that supposed to be?
“Akkad is deploying too? Really?”
“…Yes.”
“Why?”
How long had she agonized over not wanting to send Akkad to the battlefield? She’d only just managed to escape that worry.
Lavi stared at Allen as if daring him to say it was a lie, but the only answer she received was confirmation that it was true.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“…I was only told that the young master intended to tell you himself.”
“That worthless excuse for a brother.”
Lavi ground her teeth. There were things you could take your time explaining—and things you absolutely could not.
“But Akkad is the only heir. Did his father really allow it? Akkad didn’t volunteer, did he?”
“They say it was His Majesty’s order. Everyone’s been keeping quiet about it, but it seems the news has already spread.”
“His Majesty? He’s insane.”
At the curse that followed, Allen hurriedly covered Lavi’s mouth. If anyone heard that, she would be arrested on the spot. Of course, that wouldn’t happen inside her own estate—but if she ever let something like that slip outside without thinking, it would be disastrous.
Lavi glared at Allen with a dangerous look in her eyes.
That lunatic emperor. Why? How does any of this make sense? No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t understand.
Objectively speaking, if she recalled how Akkad had influenced victory and defeat before, it might make sense for him to deploy.
But I hate it anyway.
They could win without him.
Why did it have to be Akkad? That was the only thought that kept surfacing.
And it wasn’t as though Akkad’s scheming uncle was still around. Aside from him, the remaining relatives were no longer truly connected to House Enoch.
The unease wouldn’t leave her. It felt like there had to be something else behind it all.
“Did you hear anything else?”
“…There is one more thing. But it probably has nothing to do with Lord Akkad. I heard His Highness the prince is deploying as well.”
Felix could go or not go—she didn’t care—but it was still strange. Originally, Felix had gone to war after learning that her brother was engaged, almost as if he were running away.
If the past had shifted even a little, would that decision really remain the same?
Then did that mean everything else would unfold the same way, too—Felix and Akkad growing close on the battlefield, eventually joining forces to drive out the crown prince? The question followed naturally, but her stubborn memory refused to give her anything more.
Frustrated, Lavi dropped her forehead onto the table and slumped forward.
“Ugh. What’s the point of having a brain?”
“Miss, are you all right?”
“Do I look all right?” Lavi shot upright and grabbed at her hair. “That sweet, naïve idiot is going to the battlefield. Hoo…”
If things followed her memories exactly, she didn’t need to panic too much.
But worrying anyway was unavoidable.
She’d been upset enough just seeing blisters form on those pale, soft hands. And now he’d be surrounded by all those men… Was all she could do really just pray he came back safely?
“Did anything come from Akkad?”
“Yes…”
Meaning—had he said he would come by the estate?
From the sound of it, he’d be deploying soon. When was he planning to tell her?
He wouldn’t leave without even seeing me, would he?
“That jerk. After everything I did raising him—he’s just throwing it away.”
Lavi shook her head.
Come to think of it, he’d said he would visit the next day, and yet she still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him. She understood that sudden deployment preparations could keep him busy, but it still hurt.
She stayed slumped against the table for a long while, cheek pressed to the surface, trying to dredge up memories—anything—but failed.
Then she remembered what Allen had mentioned earlier.
A charm given as a wish for safe return.
Gripping the table, Lavi leaned over and reached for a drawer.
She was so off-balance she nearly toppled with the chair, and Allen caught her shoulder and set her upright.
“Is this what you were looking for?”
“That’s it.”
She opened a box she’d once used during etiquette lessons, long since abandoned in the back of the drawer. Inside were half-finished embroidery pieces and partially completed accessories. Her fingers moved quickly as she braided a cord meant to be fastened to a sword.
“…Unexpected.”
Though the design was simple, her hands moved with practiced ease, and Allen’s eyes widened.
“What? Was that an insult?”
“No, ma’am…”
“I’m good at everything as long as it doesn’t involve a needle.”
She shrugged and paused to consider the color of the tassel at the end.
What color did Akkad like?
“What color should I use?”
“Well… I hear that lovers usually match it to the other person’s eye color.”
“We’re not lovers. Also—how do you know that?”
“I hear things from the other knights.”
Lavi nodded vaguely and fell back into thought.
She didn’t need to think for long.
Something perfectly suited to Akkad came to mind almost immediately.
She picked up the scissors and cut without hesitation.
The moment she started snipping, Allen yelped.
“Miss—?!”
“Huh? If you shout like that while I’m using scissors, I might slip.”
“S-sorry. Don’t tell me… you’re planning to use that.”
Allen stared at the lock of hair in her hand, mouth agape.
“What’s the problem? If you’re doing it properly, you’re supposed to use hair. That’s tradition.”
“…Yes, but…”
What era was she even talking about? Allen swallowed the rest of his protest and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“If I’m wishing him a safe return, I’m doing it right.”
The color matched Werner’s hair—and in the empire, it symbolized victory.
It really is perfect.
Satisfied that her brain was finally doing its job for once, Lavi gently rubbed the spot on her forehead where she’d slammed it earlier.
“Allen. Is my forehead bruised?”
“…Yes.”
Regretting her lack of care, she gathered the finished sword ornament and stood.
“When are they leaving?”
“I don’t know that much, but soon.”
“Then tell everyone I’m going to House Enoch.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Given the circumstances, there was no need to wait around for permission.
Lavi called for a maid and told her to find her mother and explain the situation, then rose to begin preparing to go out.
“Caleb—!”
He was the knight who’d taken over as her temporary guard when Allen had been ill, and who had ended up falling asleep in her bedchamber.
“Hey there, miss. Long time no see.”
Lavi raised a finger to her lips, signaling for him to keep his voice down.
Humming under his breath as he followed along, Caleb lowered himself and whispered, “So, same as usual? You want me to help you shake off the vice-captain again today?”
Caleb wasn’t just good at helping with mischief—he was the type to enthusiastically roll up his sleeves and dive right in. They’d first run into each other by chance when she’d been fleeing from Allen, and after he’d helped her out that time, he’d started showing up like this every now and then.
“No. Today’s different.”
“Oh? I hope it’s something fun. Am I coming along too?”
Lavi frowned as if she’d just heard something deeply unappealing.
“Alcohol.”
“Alcohol?”
Caleb’s eyes lit up.
“Yeah. Pick the best one. If you do, I’ll give you a bottle, too.”
With that, Lavi led Caleb toward the wine cellar.
If she was going to have a long, serious talk with a friend who was about to deploy, wouldn’t this be necessary?
Standing at the entrance to the cellar, Lavi curled her lips into a sly grin and called to the attendant on duty.
“I’ll be talking for a while, so bring out exactly two bottles.”
“One more.”
“What?”
“If you let me take three, I’ll make sure they’re the really good kind.”
At his confident insistence, Lavi nodded.
She didn’t know what he had in mind, but good was good, wasn’t it?
Translator comments: This was a NIGHTMARE for POV…The internal voice switches to Lavi’s first-person internal monologue, even though the surrounding narration remains third person?
Translator notes:
- …no notes. Just trying to get this out there
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