Asta hesitated slightly when he reaffirmed his statement, nodding slowly. "I want to believe you. I'm trying to believe you." She answered quietly, tilting her head back and into his hand as he moved away. She watched him go with a sad smile. She took a small step forward and set a hand on either side of his face, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She pulled back and tried to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling over, rubbing her thumb gently over his cheekbone. Goodbyes were now her least favorite thing.

"Guess this is the part where I leave and go do epic shit, right?" She joked wearily, slowly letting her hands drop from his face.

Shutting his eyes as she pressed their lips together, he hardly moved but to return the kiss. When he opened hem, she was about to cry. E's hand came up under her chin, rubbing her cheek over with his thumb.

"I'll be here. Kick ass and take names for me love." He laughed quietly, holding back a reaction to the little stabby pain it gave him. His hand came down losely, giving no look of sadness, figuring she was racking her mind for reasons to stay for him.

Asta tilted her head slightly into his hand, sighing and nodding slowly. She offered him a weak smile for his joke. "Yes, sir." She nodded teasingly, pausing for a moment to get a good look at him. "Try not to die or let anyone else around die, okay?" She offered meekly, backing away so the instinct to never leave was, at least, less plausible.

E smiled at her and dropped his hand from her face, resting at her wrist. A gentle and unconscious motion, it looked a little like he was feeling her pulse- which he was.

"I will, come back with either cool scars, asses you've taken or good news." He let go of her, fighting the urger to keep ahold of her. "Please be safe, love." He backed up a foot or two as she moved away.

Asta offered him a weak smile as he touched her wrist, taking a deep breath and letting the momentary contact comfort her. "I'll try." She nodded slowly, trying to look strong and brave as he let go. "I'll do my very best, but I can't make any promises. I'll see you. Either in this life or the next, y'know?" She added, her words meant to come across as a joke- though they fell exceptionally flat. "Bye." She added, turning to walk away and tensing her fingers slightly. Her nails bit into her palms, and she didn't quite know how else to distract from the idea of leaving. She had already said her goodbyes to everyone else, so with a final glance over her shoulder and a wave, she made her way to Castor.