CH 46

Yulif dead?

Canaren opened her eyes wide and looked at Yulif.

Yulif was not looking at her. His gaze was clearly directed towards Deltinus, but he seemed to be looking further away as he was out of focus.

Yulif was acting strange. Just as she thought so, Deltinus took a small marble from his pocket and threw it on the floor. At the same time, a tight arm wrapped around her waist. It was Yulif’s arm.

He pulled her with strong force, causing Canaren to bite her tongue slightly. She was shocked and hurt so much that she could barely hear her scream. Moreover, a cold, damp hand brushed her arm just before she was pulled by Yulif. It was Deltinus’s work.

“Tsk.”

“Don’t move. It will take a while.”

“Keuk, keuk! Suddenly, what kind of smoke…”

A strong smoke rose from where Deltinus threw his marble, and it filled the auditorium in an instant. People coughed here and there, but Canaren and Yulif were fine.

Yulif was protecting her.

Canaren, unwittingly, grabbed his waist and clinged to it.

“Door! Someone, please open the door!”

“What the hell is this! Keuk, where are you, Your Majesty?”

“Isn’t there a servant outside? Someone go and call for help!”

“Everyone, stay seated! You can’t see ahead, so if you move, you’ll bump into each other!”

Tears and smoke obscured the view, and people were entangled with each other. Deltinus approached Canaren and Yulif, covering his mouth with a handkerchief.

In the meantime, the door that had been firmly shut opened and a crowd of people was heard coming in. It was not just one or two people as the sound of footsteps was constant.

Canaren tightened her grip on Yulif.

“How did you know? Did you plant a spy inside?”

“Does it take a spy to grasp a lousy level of magic?”

“Even though all the wizards’ witchcraft have been polished, it’s only this much.”

Deltinus sharpened his teeth.

Perhaps because the door was open, the smoke was much lighter than the beginning. It was then that he saw things that he had never seen before.

Canaren swallowed her breath as she looked at the black-clad people surrounding them.

Seeing all of them with wands, she thought they were wizards. She had never seen so many wizards in her life.

“How about leaving that girl and moving only the duke?”

“i-it’s impossible. You have to separate him somehow…”

“Do you mean to tell me to do it? That’s what you guys are supposed to do, right?”

“I’m so-sorry… Arggh!”

Without hesitation, Deltinus drew the sword from his waist and slashed the wizard. Red blood splattered everywhere. Canaren squeezed her eyes shut.

“Hah. You must have heard the words of the brave who just died? Send Canaren this way. Or you guys somehow remove the duke from her. Otherwise, one person will be decapitated every ten seconds.”

“Your Majesty! It’s not possible. Even the numbers right now may not be enough to move the duke, gaargh!”

“This. Your hands are moving arbitrarily. Count to 10 seconds from now on.”

Two people had already died. Deltinus was making ridiculous demands.

Now that his plans had gone awry, all he could do was take the hostage, threaten Yulif, and kill the wizards out of anger.

A bunch of trash. They were a bunch of trash. Was it that difficult to send only one Yulif to another place?

The wizards trembled in fear, preparing a magic that would separate Canaren and Yulif. Some lost their wands, and some panicked at the sight of their comrades’ bodies. There were only a few people who actually prepared the magic.

“Yu-Yuf. Those, people.”

Save them. At this rate, they’re all going to die.

Yulif nodded his head, noticing what Canaren had not been able to say. He spoke with magic in his voice so that even the ears of the nobles who were trying to sneak away from the audience could hear him.

“I know there must be an order you wanted to give me.”

“Well. Ah. There is one thing I long for. For the Duke to die right in front of me.”

“I will go north.”

There was a faint smell of blood in the audience room, where the smoke had completely disappeared. All eyes of the nobles who did not run away were focused on Yulif. It was the same with Canaren.

North. She thought they were going to Yulif’s territory, Pionia.

“I heard news that the barbarians were riding high and causing a lot of damage to our allies. It’s my fault that I didn’t finish it properly, so I’ll fix it.”

Deltinus’ eyes gleamed. He gave so much strength to his eyes that his veins were about to burst.

According to the original plan, those words should have been said by him to Yulif. It should have been him hugging Canaren’s waist, teasingly in front of Yulif’s eyes, blaming him for his incompetence, and ordering him to go to the north. Regardless of the bet, it was the perfect plan to show off his dignity as an emperor by taking Canaren and stamping Yulif down.

But why? Why! Why did he have to watch Yulif talk so arrogantly?

Why is Canaren standing next to Yulif’s side and not his own!

“Of course, with Canaren. We’ll go together because Canaren chose me, not His Majesty.”

“It was unfair in the first place. Because you used a secret drug! I’m sure he used a secret item. I cannot accept it. Absolutely unacceptable!”

“I told you to do whatever you want, whether you get married or not, so please keep an eye on it. Then I’ll stand down at your command.”

“What are you doing? Use magic! This means to tie the duke up, so he can’t move. Things that can’t be thrown away!”

At Deltinus’s cry, the wizards hurriedly activated the magic circle they had laid out in advance. The magic circle that summoned all the wizards in the surrounding cities as well as Cicena and was installed shone powerfully.

Deltinus saw Yulif smiling, twisting one corner of his mouth in the light that pierced his eyes.

The light disappeared, and Yulif and Canaren, who stood in the center of the magic circle, also disappeared.

Deltinus spit out abusive language when he saw that the two were gone.

“Mon-monster. Monsters appeared……!”

Five monsters controlled by the barbarians of the north howled.

*******

Moving through space with magic was amazing. It was like being greeted by a completely changed landscape in a short time when you close and open your eyes, and it was like reaching a place that could only be reached by constantly flapping your wings nonstop.

Canaren looked around, calming her startled mind by what happened in the audience room.

Soon, her head tilted.

She heard that the northern part of the continent was extremely cold and snowy. But not even a small piece of ice could be seen, let alone snow. Well-trimmed trees and splendid buildings looked just like part of the imperial palace.

“Yu…….”

“Finally, you’re here.”

It was unfamiliar, but it was a voice she had heard at least once. The person appeared with an elegant voice that was calm and low for a woman, so a sense of weight was felt.

She quickly remembered a woman with a pearl-encrusted net over her head that was pulled up on either side of her, and a small coffin. She was the empress whom she had seen briefly before leaving for Lake Nice.

She approached the two of them with a graceful and lofty attitude, as she was then and still today.

Yulif’s arm, which had been wrapped around her waist the whole time, was released. Canaren realized that she had gripped Yulif’s clothes so tightly to the point of turning white, and she hurriedly pulled her away from him. As she stepped out of his warm, firm embrace, she felt a shallow chill.

The jacket Yulif was wearing was draped over her trembling shoulders.

“I was just about to go back. Had it been a little late, it would have been a disaster.”

“I would have used a different method then. Thank you for your patience.”

“Is that the child? Duke…”

“I will introduce you. Canaren, this is Her Majesty the Empress. She is also the mother of His Highness Lucian.”

“Lucian talked a lot. I’ve always wanted to meet you, Miss Canaren.”

“He-hello-o. I can’t speak, speak well. I’m so-sorry.”

“I know. It’s fine, so take it easy. It’s a pity that we’re not in a situation to talk for a long time.”

Estella smiled softly. With her smile, which was strengthened by her leisure, age, and dignity, Canaren felt that her heart was loosening a little.

Yulif’s men behind Estella also helped calm her mind. Her eyes met, and Roana winked cheerfully at her with one of her eyes.

“You’d better avoid the Emperor for the time being. It won’t be good.”

“I have endured and escaped all my life. It’s not that difficult. Then I’ll be on my way. I wish the two of you good luck in the future.”

“I will never forget the help you gave me today.”

“Very well. It’s reassuring. Oh, I have something to tell Miss Canaren. I almost forgot.”

Estella approached Canaren and held something out. When she received it politely with both hands, it was a rolled up piece of paper. The purple ribbon tied to the paper looked somehow clumsy.

“Thank you. What is it, if I may…… ask?”

“Lucian had it with him to hand over to Miss Canaren when he meets you someday. I don’t even know what it is. He seldom shows it to his mother.”

Canaren recalled the last time she met Lucian at the back of the private palace. Deltinus pretended to be Yulif and deceived him, so the child wept as if he was about to run out of breath.

She hasn’t seen him since then. Now, they will never meet again.

She was so busy accepting the situations and emotions that came without a break, so she forgot.

He was a very cute child with sparkling purple eyes.

카나렌은 아쉬움을 뒤로하고 에스텔라에게 고개를 숙였다.

Canaren left her regrets behind and bowed her head to Estella.

“Please tell him, I’m very happy, to receive it.”

“Of course I will, but I have a feeling that Lucian will want to hear Miss Canaren say it in person. One day, there will be a chance.”

After finishing those meaningful words, Estella turned around without any regrets. She exited the building as if she had come without a single attendant.

Canaren stood nailed to her place and looked at her back.

What were her last words? The way she spoke, as if they would meet again soon, and the way she seemed to know something, were on her mind.

Shachak. The rustling sound of the paper made Canaren come to her senses. Without realizing it, she opened her fist and carefully rubbed open the crumpled paper.

“She must have come alone. She’s so strong-minded. After all, you have to be at that level to be able to hold on to the position of the Empress.”

“It’s because there’s no one to trust. You will get used to it.”

“You know very well, don’t you? Are you close?”

At Roana’s question, Canaren raised her head. She moved so fast that there was a strange noise and a throbbing back of her neck.

Fortunately, Yulif asked Roana in an annoyed tone as if he had not heard.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know how the Empress is treated?”

“Still, the two of you had a good conversation.”

That’s right. Canaren carefully nodded her face up and down. Besides, she said Estella was waiting for Yulif.

She was so focused on Yulif that she didn’t even know that Roana had an insidious smile as she glanced at her.

“It wasn’t enough to take away the people who were wandering outside the audience, so they were waiting for the lord.”

“Orcard.”

“The Empress’ words to Canaren seem to show her utmost respect…….”

“Is it worth living these days?”

“Of course. The person I serve has changed, so every day is heaven. Unlike someone else, she’s kind, friendly, sweet, pretty and cute, and she gives me food. It can’t get any better than this.”

“It sounds like you have no regrets even if you die.”

“Let’s go, Lord. Ready to move in space! We’re done!”

Yulif blinked, telling them to activate the magic. Roana and a few wizards began to cast spells.

Canaren was still immersed in her thoughts. If Roana’s words are true, it means that the empress helped Yulif. He said the empress is the emperor’s wife, so why did she help Yulif?

Suddenly, the events of their departure for Lake Nice flashed through her head.

What did the emperor say to the empress? She thought it had to do something with a substitute…….

“It’s useless. Don’t dwell on it.”

The memories that continued to fade were broken.

It’s like this again. If she let her guard down a little bit, she will suddenly think about Yulif.

She shouldn’t even think about him if she didn’t want to have feelings for him.

She was upset because even though she tried, it didn’t go as well as she had decided.

Whether or not he knew her heart, Yulif meticulously adjusted her coat.

“It is cold in the north. Change your clothes when you arrive.”

The kindness hidden in the calmness kept breaking down the walls and digging into them.

No, she didn’t even know that maybe he had already dug deep and sprouted inside of her.

Canaren accepted his hand without saying a word.