The remaining time flowed faster than all the time that had come before.
Before returning to their home countries, the five children created many memories together.
They learned to swim together in the lake, watched the setting sunset, and watched the sun rise.
They watched rain fall, rainbows appear, and snow come down, capturing each other's images in their eyes.
They tried sneaking out of the temple without the priests knowing, and they also played pranks on the priest they usually found annoying.
They climbed and ran around big trees together, read the same books, and shared their five different thoughts.
Thus time flowed like water, and soon the day of parting arrived.
Before the sun rose, the envoys from their home countries came to fetch them.
Lellia cried her heart out like a child in front of her friends who stood a full span taller than her.
"Hey, stop crying! We'll see each other again in a few years, do you really have to bawl like that?"
Callix scolded her like that, but he too was straining his eyes hard to hold back his own tears.
"You have to write letters...."
Seeing Lellia cry, Oscar also started shedding tears drop by drop.
"...I'll miss you."
Griffith, who usually never said such things calling them embarrassing, spoke with his head lowered.
"I really hate this kind of atmosphere... Stop crying already!"
Romeo, though showing his distaste, pulled each person one by one for a hug.
Lellia suddenly remembered when Romeo had pointed at each person saying "I hate those guys," and laughter escaped her.
"Geez, not even a child... Hey, if you laugh while crying, you..."
"...Shut up!"
When Callix started teasing again, Lellia clenched her fist.
After the commotion passed, Lellia wiped her tears firmly with her sleeve and spoke with a more serious expression than before.
"Callix Ascard, always be careful. Especially be careful of your uncle."
"...I know."
"Good."
With those words, Lellia shook hands and hugged each of the other children one by one, saying her final goodbyes.
"Oscar, don't forget to take good care of your doll and sleep. Got it?"
"Yeah. Leo, you too."
Lellia hugged Oscar and stroked his silver hair.
"Griffith, you... be careful not to be used."
Griffith had awakened his divine power. When he returns to his home country, his father will scheme all sorts of things to use Griffith. Griffith's stepmother will try to harm him.
"Worry about yourself."
Griffith smiled slightly, and Lellia looked at him for a moment before standing in front of Romeo.
Despite scolding her to stop crying, tears also streamed down Romeo's blue eyes.
"You... fix that personality of yours. I have nothing else to say."
"You're really something!"
Romeo pretended to hit Lellia's head with his fist but instead pulled her straight into a hug.
Lellia ended up shedding tears all over again because he was crying.
We'll see each other again in a few years. Everyone said that, comforting Lellia who was uniquely sorrowful.
Lellia held back the words she wanted to say deep inside her heart.
'We can't meet anymore.'
There will never be a chance to meet again.
She will officially become a dead person, and this curse that would kill her if she reveals the secret will continue even after the Emperor and Crown Prince die.
"Take care, everyone."
"Write letters."
"Stop crying, you crybaby."
"Everyone be careful...."
"Bye."
Lellia raised her arm high and waved to the children leaving with the envoys from each country.
So that she could be seen even from afar.
'Everyone stay healthy.'
Goodbye, bye. Thank you.
After offering her final goodbye in her heart, Lellia turned to follow the envoy from her home country. Her feet did not move easily due to her lingering attachment.
However, Lellia wiped her tears firmly and deliberately walked toward the carriage with even more energy.
It was time to be alone again.
But her heart would never be alone.