Led to the reception room by the maid, Celian removed her gloves with a smiling face.

These days, the two women’s conversations always circled around the same topic.

“It’s the first time since our marriage that my husband is going to such a big war.”

Lady Schwenn’s husband and father-in-law were both included in these reinforcements. Celian lightly embraced her in comfort.

“Everything’s happening too fast. Not even Treven, but Fairville…… Why Jade……”

Celian refrained from comforting her too passionately. Since Celian’s husband was a civilian, pretending to deeply empathize with Wendy would only feel like a lie.

“The public opinion isn’t even good. It’s not like my husband wanted to go to war or become a commander.”

“It means Jade and Count Schwenn are too talented. They’ll hardly ever be at the front lines, so don’t worry too much.”

My father was safe on the battlefield too—Celian swallowed these words that would sound like a curse, as Wendy finally burst into tears before her.

“Celian, I’m so scared.”

The deployment was tomorrow. Jade, who would be at the unit now for final preparations, would return home before sunset to spend the last night with his wife.

“I understand this war is less dangerous. Jade said it would end within a year at most. But what if after Letters is suppressed, my husband doesn’t return?”

“……”

“What good are honor and medals? I didn’t even want him to become a soldier—”

“Wendy,”

The final call wasn’t from Celian. Celian, who had been patting Wendy, turned toward the voice. Jade stood there with an awkward expression.

“Celian, sorry. Wendy’s been a bit sensitive lately.”

“……”

Celian silently separated from Wendy. Discovering Jade behind Celian, Wendy wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck.

“Jade, don’t go, please?”

“It feels like you’re holding my funeral when I’m not even dead.”

Bitterness seeped through his playful tone.

Some time later, Celian, who had been watching the couple’s embrace, crossed the main gate.

All of this was someone else’s story. 

 * * *

 Her own story was somewhat more hopeful in comparison. Celian thought this while taking her husband’s c*ck in the dawn light.

Having fallen into deep sleep, she raised her head at a strange sensation to find Izer’s nose bridge rubbing against her lower region. Noticing she was awake, he climbed on top of her with a faint smile.

It happened quite often. Celian stared at the ceiling with bleary eyes, waiting for his lust to end.

Izer thrust his hips violently, unusually so for dawn. Her insufficiently wet lower region hurt from the rough movements. Thinking it better to end quickly now that it had come to this, she lifted her legs and let out thin moans. She didn’t forget to twist her waist to make her br*asts bounce.

That action must have been stimulating, as Izer began thrusting hard while breathing like a beast. Soon she felt his hot release inside her.

As she heard the bathroom water running, Celian buried her face in the blanket.

In her half-asleep state, she dreamed. It was a dream where she couldn’t see ahead and could only hear confusing sounds. Whether they were her thoughts, memories, someone’s words, or words she wanted to hear—in this confusing unconsciousness, she thought she heard her father’s voice.

Then a sharp sound woke Celian from her dream.

Izer was coming out of the dressing room. The sound had been the closet door closing. Though it was difficult to identify the clothes he wore, buried in darkness, it was clear he was preparing to go out.

So he had an early morning schedule, that’s why he pounced especially early. Celian asked while closing her eyes.

“Where are you……”

“Fairville.”

The destination he had casually thrown stuck in her mind. Celian blinked her dazed eyes and sat up. Her n*ked upper body was exposed above the fallen blanket.

In the dimness, he slipped his arms into his jacket. Though the uniform was very familiar to her, the epaulettes that should never suit Izer were crossed by faint shadows of bars.

A voice that didn’t seem like her own was heard.

“……Military uniform?”

As dawn gradually broke, his appearance became clearer.

Unfamiliar military boots, dark khaki pants used only for military uniforms, and the familiar jacket he had just put on with epaulettes on the shoulders.

An ominous feeling crept up. Her hands gripping the blanket turned white.

Izer confirmed her thoughts while straightening his folded collar. His gaze was fixed on the mirror.

“I’m also in these reinforcements. You weren’t the only one who didn’t know. They were strictly ordered to keep quiet, saying there’s no need to make a fuss about a newly commissioned second lieutenant.”

“……”

“It’ll be in the newspapers by afternoon. Can’t hide the sight of me boarding the train. We move today, and enter Fairville in two days.”

“……”

“Obviously, my return date is undetermined. According to Jade, it could be as short as a month or as long as a year. That’s all the information I can give to a civilian.”

Meeting her shocked eyes through the mirror, Izer smirked.

“Damn. They say women usually get turned on seeing uniforms, but I’m getting turned on seeing you n*ked behind me in uniform. One round wasn’t enough after all.”

He even slightly gestured at his visibly tented pants. Goosebumps rose on Celian’s skin. Not from the hundreds of vulgar taunts she had endured, but because she couldn’t accept the reality of the man in uniform and her n*ked self.

She had thought her future would be similar to the past month. Being laid down and f*cked in the morning, anxiously waiting for his return, being f*cked at the tea table after dinner, taking a short break, being bent over and f*cked on the sofa before bed, and finally being f*cked in the bathroom…….

Then when she conceived the child he so desperately wanted, she wouldn’t be f*cked for a few months, and then would be f*cked again.

A crack appeared in the future marked by unhappiness.

Celian stammered. Even knowing it would upset him, these were the only words that came to mind.

“You, you have trouble with your hands.”

“……”

Izer turned with a cold face. In a few steps, he approached the bed and bent at the waist before her.

The right hand extending from his uniform sleeve kneaded her full br*ast as if toying with it. Usually, Celian would have moaned, pushed him away, or fallen back, but today she couldn’t take her eyes off his face.

Izer removed his hand that had been fondling his wife’s br*ast.

“You should know from your experience so far. My hands are fine. I’d like to prove it further, but regrettably, I don’t have time.”

After finishing his words, the man returned to the mirror. Confused eyes followed his back.

After putting the cap on his head, Izer picked up his bag with his left hand.

“Get dressed as soon as I leave. I’ve prepared a house for you to stay in Porchmen. Stay there until I return. If you want, you can take Percy with you. That’s up to you.”

“……”

“Any insult directed at you is like one aimed at Chesterfield. Don’t get more abuse in Humingham, stay in Porchmen.”

As the man opened the door with an indifferent face, a thin voice called out to him.

“Izer,”

“……”

“Are you really… going……”

“……”

Next to the bag the man had set down, his heavy military boots created noise unsuited to the mansion.

Celian remained seated on the bed. As if something would happen the moment she left the blanket. As if she would be the one entering the battlefield—until Izer sat beside her with one leg folded, Celian only watched his face with a pale complexion.

A husband departing for war and a wife who couldn’t even give him a farewell greeting—the reality beneath this solemn scene was slightly different.

Her seated body fell backward. She could neither comply nor resist. While the man kissed her pretending to be affectionate, using his hands to push back inside the traces of himself that had flowed out from his wife some thirty minutes ago, pushing it in again and again, Celian lay still like a corpse, only blinking slowly.

However, beneath her br*ast covered by his palm, her heart beat rapidly. She breathed at the same pace as his breaths.

The man who had been savoring her abundant vitality while exploring inside his wife’s mouth slowly lifted his head. The silver thread stretching between their lips was evidence they had just shared breaths.

“I didn’t expect you to look at me with such an expression.”

Her light blue eyes looked ready to cry at any moment.

A small pleasure welled up inside the man. The realization that she did worry about him, that even if she didn’t love him, at least she was shocked by the fact he was leaving.

He might not have been everything to her, but at least he was something.

Just that was overwhelming. Izer wiped his wet hand on his handkerchief and planted a kiss on her smooth forehead. On her fluttering eyelids too, on her fine nose bridge too, on her pale cheeks and blue-tinged lips too.

As he gave a final kiss to his wife lying there receiving his kisses, he whispered.

“Perhaps, Lian, you might wish for my death……”

“……”

“But your wish won’t be granted so easily.”

As long as you remain on this earth, I’ll force myself to return to see my family.

That’s how terrible and intense love is to me. 

 * * *

 On the last day of October, Treven’s forces of 30,000 crossed Fairville’s border.