Phil’s vacation ended before I knew it.

Even if he had three days of vacation, it was actually two and a half days considering the fact he had to return to the royal capital. Therefore, around noon on the last day, he prepared to leave.

Usually, he’d lie on the floor and whine that he didn’t want to go back. However, he was a little different that day.

Instead of the floor, he sat on a chair in contemplation.

Nevertheless, as the chair was in front of the fireplace, it meant that he didn’t want to return. His posture was laidback, and his silver hair was unkempt.

“Hey, Phil, it’s about time for you to leave. Your escort will arrive, soon. Regardless of your title as the knight leader, the military higher-ups will be troubled.” Said Alves.

“…I know, I don’t want to bother you, but I don’t want to go back.”

Sighing, he clutched his head and curled up.

Because he wasn’t lying on the floor, I thought he was being an adult for once.

…He hadn’t changed much.

Alves sighed and glanced at me.

Apparently, it seemed to be my turn.

There was no steamed bread today. As I heard that he’d be leaving after having lunch, I was busy preparing for his departure.

I had filled his basket with hard-baked sweets that would last for a long time.

When I was thinking of taking it out, my brother sighed once again and left the living room.

Did he go to see the horse that has been waiting for Phil?

Alves might want to make sure that Phil’s escort hadn’t arrived, yet.

“Phil, is someone really going to pick you up today?”

“…Someone might, I was told that I’d definitely be brought back by the end of the day.”

Oh, my.

Phil wasn’t trusted, it seemed.

I laughed unintentionally. However, Phil’s back seemed lonely, so I hurriedly suppressed my laugh.

I lightly knelt next to Phil’s chair and peered into his face.

“Hey, Phil.”

I gently put my hand on Phil’s lap.

“…Is Phil a great man within the knight order?”

The knights who enjoyed farming and cooking were all Alves’ colleagues. I had also seen their sword practice. Just like Alves, their abilities were beyond the level of a normal knight.

They couldn’t be regular members of the army.

Sometime, I felt that some of the knights who came to pick up Phil weren’t ordinary knights.

There was also my brother’s words.

“Are military higher-ups really coming?”

“…I never thought some from upper ranks would actually be dispatched. Those knight captains only come because they’re close to me in terms of age. Everyone else below their ranks are afraid of me and become useless. Using higher-ups is a convenient way of doing it.”

 A group of knight captains was truly coming.

“I’m… the commander of the Third Army. There are some captains in the Third Army, and I’m their leader.”

After muttering that, Phil finally returned my gaze.

Please don’t make such a worried face.

Although it was shocking, I had no plans to change my attitude towards him?

“This time, it was quite brief, but did you manage to relax?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s a relief. You may visit again, so do your best.”

I slapped his knees. Phil stopped clutching his head.

Finally, I could see his beautiful silver hair.

I stood up, went around him, and started to comb his hair. His unkempt hair became glossier each time I combed it.

How many times had I combed his hair?

From what I recalled, I had done it ever since his first stay here. Even though he had such beautiful hair, it was too messy. So, I told him to sit down and combed it.

Since then, I had been combing his hair from time to time.

…Although, that might had been my first time doing it before his departure.

Until recently, I used to feed him sweets before he departed.

“Lucia.”

“What is it?”

“This year, I might not be able to come here anymore… I’ll be returning to the North soon.”

“I see.”

His hair had become tidy.

But, because I wanted to touch it some more, I took out a piece if string from my apron pocket and began to tie his hair together.

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***T/N: Uhghghghghg, please, I’m begging for a miracle here where they’d get closer…

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