CH 42

*******

Breakfast was served quickly.

Yulif sat Canaren in the best place to see Lake Nice at a glance.

Roana was looking at Yulif like that with an expression of disbelief. He was not a great man who was selfish like the emperor. But he was also not a kind person who cared for others.

Cold evaluation of the opponent and the politeness like a sword befitting it. Yulif never crossed that line. He had never brought anyone into the line.

But he was different towards Canaren. Yulif acted like a man whose head only had the thoughts of ‘how can Canaren be comfortable’.

At least, in Roana’s view.

The change might have come more dramatically because the boss she had been serving for a long time was a harder person than a piece of bread of which all the moisture had been drained.

In any case, Yulif had a great interest in Canaren, and he was always watching her.

Actually, Canaren didn’t seem to know that. Or she just wanted to pretend she didn’t know.

Roana was right. Canaren stared blankly at the lake while the food was being prepared. Though it was very beautiful, she was not moved by the lake.

She thought that if she just turned her head, she would make eye contact with Yulif. She thought he might say something like ‘You’ve been sick all night’. She only pretended to admire the lake.

“You may not want to, but eat it. I heard you didn’t eat well last night.”

Canaren nodded her head, but she didn’t start eating.

Yulif continued to look at her. She felt like he would keep staring until she put something in her mouth.

Reluctantly, she swallowed a spoonful of soup. It was warm and savory, and it went down smoothly.

“Orcard.”

“Yes? Ah yes! What?”

“Lower your voice. One would be surprised when you suddenly make a loud noise. Canaren, from now on, Roana Orcard will be your escort.”

「……Yes?」

Rather than Roana’s lively reply, she was surprised by Yulif’s words. Surprised, Canaren turned to stone while holding her spoon.

“I will return to my territory soon. You’ll need someone to take care of you instead of me. Orcard is well-versed in the circumstances of the territory, so she will be helpful.”

“Oh, okay. I know Piona better than my own palm. I must know more than the Lord.”

“So, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. If you need anything, tell Orcard and she’ll get it for you.”

“If I need anything, can I tell the lord?”

“Why should I do you a favor?”

“Wow, why are you so stingy? Would I ask for the manor? It’s not like you’re going to give it to me if you ask for it. You are too much! Right, Miss Canaren?”

Roana’s nudge was not heard by Canaren’s ears. Only Yulif’s words, ‘Someone who will take care of you instead of me’, were being repeated.

She expected that she would go to Yulif’s territory. Yulif used magic on the emperor without hesitation, and last night, Roana gave her a light explanation. On Yulif’s orders, the butler was working day and night to arrange a place for her. She wondered why he stayed in the Imperial Palace for so long, and it seemed he had a plan.

Yulif would never let her go. At any time, it was impossible.

Even though she was prepared, her mood subsided strangely. She wasn’t desperate. She was just, just sad and depressed.

Was it because she realized that she couldn’t possibly get away from Yulif? Was it because she realizes that her efforts so far were useless?

「Then, Yulif…….」

What will you do when you return to your territory? Canaren swallowed her question, since asking it would sound like she wanted him around.

It was a good position for Canaren. Having Roana next to her instead of Yulif would give her a slightly higher chance of escaping. Roana wasn’t as rigid as Yulif, and she was also a woman, so Canaren was a little more comfortable with her.

And yet, why was she so empty as if her heart was open? No, it seemed to be stuffy as if something was clogged up with her. She felt a little bitter.

What did she want from him?

“Huh?”

「……No. I need to practice the imperial language.」

“You don’t have to work hard.”

「Roana doesn’t know the Hwira language. The only person who knows Hwira is Yulif…… There will be nothing to say.」

Yulif’s eyes were slightly distorted.

Roana mumbled as she alternated between the two, who seemed to be offended for different reasons.

“Hey, it’s okay to have someone else do it…”

“You do it.”

“Okay.”

Roana quietly shut her mouth. Yulif pushed the cutely decorated canapes in front of Canaren, who had left the spoon completely. Apparently, that behavior reminded her of her daily life in the cabin.

Everything was a mess.

‘How should I understand Yulif, who said that he would stay by my side yesterday, but entrusted me to someone else today? How should I understand myself, who is thinking about this?’

Canaren pushed the canapes back to Yulif. Instead of the emotions that complicated the mind.

The breakfast, which no one enjoyed, continued for quite a long time.

Yulif, worried about Canaren who barely touched her food, endured to the end.

Canaren reluctantly swallowed the strawberries, which were served to her for dessert.

*******

The time was approaching noon.

Thud. A heavy sound shook the calm Lake Nice. People’s eyes naturally turned towards the sound.

A large boar was lying on the floor, and the soldiers who carried it were dyed red from head to toe. There was the fishy smell of blood. It wasn’t the blood of the soldiers, it was the blood that came from the wild boar.

The boar’s body was full of arrows. From a distance, it looked like a giant hedgehog.

It was not a normal form of hunting to anyone looking at it. The nobles frowned and covered their noses with their hands, sleeves, or handkerchiefs.

“Are you here, Your Majesty?”

Deltinus got off his horse with an eerie aura. He threw the bow he was holding and approached the boar. And he held out his hand to the servant who was closely following him. It meant to put out the whip.

The servant shifted his eyes. Countless people were silently watching the emperor who was about to commit an act of madness.

“Your Majesty, how about telling the soldiers to skin this wild boar and look for other prey…”

“Do you think I’m being funny?”

“No! How could I have such a disrespect for Your Majesty! It’s not like that…!”

“Then shut up and do what I tell you. Isn’t that the servant’s job?”

Reluctantly, the servant placed a whip in his palm. In the past, when Count Enderk brought him a letter of appointment, he said: Don’t go against the Emperor’s will. In particular, the emperor’s orders related to Duke Rubius must be unconditionally obeyed. Otherwise, he would be beaten until his skin peeled off in the torture chamber in the basement of the Imperial Palace, and then he would die.

The fear was multiplied by the fact that the former servant’s end was vaguely known through rumors.

Count Enderk must have said that in preparation for a time like this, the servant only realized now.

Swiiik, sswak! Every time the whip was swung, it made a ghastly sound and blood spattered. The piece of iron on the tip of the whip pierced into the thick leather, constantly creating wounds.

The servant turned his head. It was the same with those who flocked to say hello to Deltinus.

Rather, the brutal acts continued endlessly, enough to think that it was fortunate that the wild boar was already killed by an arrow. Aside from sympathy for the wild boar, who could not be comfortable even after death, people were disgusted by the expressionless face of Deltinus.

“…Even a beast that succumbed to evil wouldn’t do that.”

A nobleman sighed.

Drops of blood were dripping down the ends of the hair that was cut short like Yulif’s. Even as pieces of flesh bounced, Deltinus repeatedly swung the whip without blinking an eye.

“S-Stop.”

Canaren’s voice was too low and her pronunciation was slightly muffled. So it was like she wasn’t talking to someone, it was like a groan that leaked out of pain. Eventually, shortly afterwards, he turned his head around.

Yulif glanced at Roana and then slowly moved.

Deltinus sharpened his teeth in the middle of a vacant spot stained with broken arrows, flesh and blood by the whip. He kept getting angry with his prey, and his anger grew and eroded his heart and even his head.

After Canaren went to Yulif, insomnia struck again. He grabbed his hair, brittle from lack of sleep, anger, and seething heat.

“I feel like a dog. Maybe it’s because I’m killing the innocent instead of the one I should kill.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

Yulif walked out among the crowd.

Like a child. Deltinus spit out abusive language and looked around with wide open eyes. It was easy to spot Canaren standing quite a distance away with a tall woman. As soon as his gaze reached her, she was startled and hid behind the woman.

“It’s nothing, it’s a pain. I just wanted to kill it because the anger isn’t going away.”

“Speak frankly, that you missed what you were trying to catch.”

“If I say that, will you get caught?”

“Your Majesty.”

Deltinus’ reason ran out to the point of falling for Yulif’s simple provocation. There were so many eyes around watching, and things were not good because Yulif sent his soldiers to the palace.

Count Enderk hurriedly tried to intervene, but Deltinus raised his hand to stop him.

“It was a great trap. I had no choice but to walk in with my own feet.”

“I wish you didn’t come out and die.”

“I have one thing in common with Your Majesty. Do you know what it is.”

“I don’t think I need to know that.”

“You’ll know. I don’t give it back as much as I get.”

Those who covet and injure him would pay tenfold.

Magical power moved around Yulif. He spoke quite loudly, as if for the audience to listen.

“You need to cool your head. When the time is right, I will go see you personally, Your Majesty.”

As soon as Yulif finished speaking, Deltinus disappeared. Yulif had sent him to the end of the hunting grounds by magic. Then he grabbed the shoulder of Count Enderk, who hardened at his sudden action.

“Tell His Majesty to prepare properly. I can’t stand it any longer.”

Count Enderk’s hair stood stiff at the cold declaration of war.

Yulif left the place with a dignified attitude as if nothing had happened.