For You In The Cage - Chapter 49

Episode 49: A Bird Avoiding Death (III)

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“It’s really snow…”

It was quite fun to see the white breath scatter every time she spoke.

Will the snow melt with her breath? Canaren caught a large snowflake with her palm and took a deep breath, then she looked at it and started blowing. The snowflake melted quickly, becoming water and seeping into her palms.

Cold. Warm. Canaren smiled quietly at the weird sensation.

She didn’t even know when she fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes, Yulif was by her side instead of Roana. As he was looking out the window, she looked over and saw that it was snowing.

The sight of the scene covered in white all the way to the end of her view was so amazing that she couldn’t take her eyes off it.

As she glued herself to the window and gazed out, Yulif said:

“Go out and have a look.”

Roana had not returned, and so Yulif pulled a coat, fur hat, gloves and scarf from the closet.

Several times she had the opportunity to inquire about Roana’s whereabouts, but Canaren did not ask. When Roana comes, Yulif would go away.

After a while she looked at herself in her mirror and saw she was bundled up. It was quite funny to see herself wrapped around from head to toe.

If she falls, she might roll over. 

“Do you have, to go this far?”

“Because it’s cold.”

“Still…”

“No.”

Yulif was adamant. Canaren was led by his hand as she stumbled across him.

But as soon as she came out, her dissatisfaction disappeared like snow.

Standing in the pouring snow, it felt like she was in a completely different world. Besides, it was exceptionally quiet. If she listened closely, she could hear the sound of snow piling up.

“Pretty.”

The snow on the branches looked like flowers. Canaren suddenly looked back at Yulif, who was following her a few steps back.

In a world that was all white and black from his head to his toes, he exuded a tremendous presence. Wearing a tailored coat, his body drew a sharp and elegant line. The image of him approaching in the snow, more perfect than a sculpture, was not realistic like a painting.

“Isn’t it cold?”

“It’s fine, I’m okay, um.”

“Your nose is red.”

Canaren quickly covered her nose with her gloved hand. She laughed slowly as if her Yulif was making fun of her.

The two started walking side by side.

Podok, podok. With every step she took, she heard the sound of snow being trampled on. Canaren liked the sound of that. She wanted to keep listening, and as she walked, her shoes slipped. Yulif caught her trembling body as if it was natural.

“Look out. It is slippery.”

“Thanks… I am, fine now.”

“Hold on and walk.”

Yulif held her hand tightly. She wasn’t sick, but she felt a strong force that seemed to never let her go.

Canaren half-buried her face in her shawl.

She must have been so excited when she saw snow for the first time. What if she looked like a child? How embarrassing, she thought.

It was fortunate that the snowflakes falling in small bits were getting bigger and bigger. It would hide her red face.

The snow falling from the sky was still pretty and amazing. But from the moment he held her hand, Canaren couldn’t focus on the snow. Her heart was beating like it was going to explode.

It was because Yulif’s hand was too warm. It was because Yulif is too tall. It was because Yulif’s pace was too slow.

What was this feeling that she just wanted to blame anything related to him?

Canaren glanced at Yulif. Their eyes met. Oh, she thought he was looking straight ahead!

Canaren’s mouth, startled by his glance, opened.

“…Hiccup!”

“You look cold. Let’s just go in.”

“Ah, no, no, no! Town!”

“It’s snowing again.”

Yulif stubbornly went back the way they had come. Hiccup. Canaren folded her neck like a tortoise and covered her mouth with one of her hands.

Why was her surroundings so quiet, and why was she hiccuping now?

She wanted to walk in the snow a little more with Yulif.

Hiccup! The stupid hiccups didn’t understand Canaren’s heart. It was the same with Yulif.

White snowflakes covered the footprints left by the two of them.

*******

After a walk, she took a bath, and after dinner, her body felt limp.

Roana brought Canaren into the room, sat her down at the tea table, and left. Even though Canaren said she was full more than five times, Roana’s actions communicated that she was going to have tea time in the end. Canaren dozed off in the same position that Roana had seated her.

Tok, tok, tok. She opened her eyes to the sound of the knock.

It couldn’t have been Roana. She was always one who would just fling the door open and come in.

“Who…”

The door opened, and it was Yulif who came in with an elegant gait.

Canaren was first astonished by Yulif’s appearance, and second as he pushed in a silver serving cart.

“What…?”

“Orcard left it to me.”

Yulif answered with a sigh. He really had no intention of meeting Canaren. He actually had a few things to say to Roana.

First, Canaren experienced a lot today, so she should pay special attention to her sleep.

Second, if it seemed that she couldn’t sleep well, she should use magic to put her to sleep.

Finally, to make sure she’s well-protected, he decided to go to Cologne to deal with the remnants of the barbarians at dawn.

Roana, who had a casual attitude replied, 

“Well If you’re so worried, why don’t you sing a lullaby yourself?” 

Then she straightened her posture to the last command. Only then did she properly understand his suggestion to put her to sleep using magic.

Nodding with a serious expression on her face, she suddenly said…

“Oh, the bathroom! I need to go to the bathroom really badly. Please bring this to her room. Miss Canaren should eat it, but it doesn’t taste good when it’s cold. Miss Canaren will drink this too. Got it?

After leaving her words, she disappeared like the wind…

Yulif was suddenly left alone, abandoned in the hallway with the job of pushing the serving cart. Though not knowing if Canaren would eat it or not, he knew he couldn’t leave food in the hallway.

When Yulif opened the tray, he saw there was a pudding sprinkled with caramel syrup, a teapot with heated milk, and honey. Either way, it was a menu that even children could eat before bedtime. Canaren turned her head, pretending not to see.

“I’m full.”

“It’s not that many things. Eat.”

“Yul-lif, are you going to eat stuff too?”

She stuttered a bit, but she said Yulif’s name properly.

Great. It was worthwhile to practice hard. Canaren felt inner pride, and she put unspoken pressure on Yulif. She hated eating alone, but she would if he wanted her to. It contained a strong will not to be a child alone.

Yulif, surprisingly, did not resist and nodded his head. He thought it would be better to feed her quickly and put her to sleep when she doesn’t have time to resist.

The action of placing the pudding in front of Canaren was simple.

It was good so far.

A problem arose when he started taking honey with the honey dipper.

Yulif put the honey dipper in it like a spoon and took it out. Naturally, the honey dripped in a lousy shape.

Canaren also didn’t know how to use the honey dipper, but she did at least know for sure that he wasn’t used to serving tea.

“Yulif, I’ll do it.”

“No. I will do it.”

Yulif replied with a very contorted brow. But his second attempt also failed.

He saw the honey scattered wildly in the teacup and changed his strategy. The long fingers that released the honey dipper moved lightly.

“Wow.”

A jar of honey floated in the air and tilted slightly. Golden honey dripped into the teacup, round and beautiful, drop by drop.

As she watched the honey dripping like drops of water, Canaren’s eyes lit up.

“Amazing.”

Yulif’s magic continued. At the snap of a finger, milk gushed out of the jug and turned into a little butterfly. White butterflies flew around the canal and flew into the teacup.

Soon, steam rose from the teacup filled with warm milk.

“It’s done?”

“Not yet.”

“Are there any other magical acts left?”

“Not that.”

Yulif took the spoon himself and stirred it meticulously to ensure that the honey and milk were well mixed. When all the honey had been released, he set the teacup down in front of Canaren with a dignified motion.

“Finished.”

Then Canaren clapped her hands. Clap clap. At the sound of small applause, Yulif clenched his fists and hid his burning fingertips.

“That was great. I will drink.”

Sweet. The milk that spreads softly in your mouth is sweet and savory. Canaren sipped milk and looked at Yulif on the other side.

He took a sip of the unhoneyed milk and set the mug down. He didn’t seem to want to touch the pudding at all.

“You don’t eat pudding?”

“I don’t enjoy dessert. Do you like pudding?”

Canaren nodded her head. Desserts, such as puddings, cakes, and cookies, were difficult to come by in the village.

Yulif pushed the pudding in front of her.

“Eat.”

Canaren took her first bite of the pudding with a spoon. Tasty.

Yulif’s eyes were slightly but softly curved as he looked at her making expressions that showed she liked the pudding.

Canaren said cautiously, taking another bite of the pudding.

“Too obvious… Don’t look.”

“I apologize for any inconvenience.”

The sight of the happily mellow Canaren was very rare. Unable to see such precious things, Yulif pretended to look around the room, reluctantly. Soon an object caught his attention.

“Can I ask what Lucian gave you?”

“Ah. I forgot about it. Shall we look at it now? Would Yulif like to see it too?”

“You look at it first, and if it’s okay, show it to me too.”

Canaren opened the paper that Yulif had brought up. Her face lit up with a mixture of surprise and joy. She hurriedly showed the paper to Yulif.

It was a painting of a man with dark hair and a woman with golden hair. The man was holding a wand, protecting the woman from a vicious-looking purple monster. The woman looked a little frightened, but she did not run away, but was staring at the monster from behind the man. There were white wings on her back.

It was like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

What the picture meant was clear. The man was Yulif and the woman was Canaren. In the eyes of young Lucian, the two seemed to be a prince and a princess from a fairy tale.

Canaren turned the picture back to her side, looked at it, and smiled a little.

“No matter how brave he is, a child is still a child. Did you see it? It’s drawn really nicely.”

“I saw it.”

“Usually a prince is holding a sword, but since Yulif is a wizard, you would hold a staff or wand. The dragon looks really scary. I think His Highness Lucian has a talent for drawing.”

Excited by the drawing, Canaren spoke blunt words without stuttering even once. Yulif just stared at her like that.

Canaren no longer stuttered when speaking the imperial language. It’s probably because she had been practicing hard with Roana, but Yulif thought her changed environment had a good effect.

The Imperial Palace must have a hellish place for her.

Canaren looked at her picture as if she was possessed, and then made a short sound, “Ahhh.”

“It’s written at the bottom. ‘For sure again… I hope to see you. Until then, stay healthy. Uncle, Miss Canaren.’ He draws well, but the text is crooked. Would you like to see it too, Yulif?”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s really cute. Just take a look.”

Canaren showed Yulif the writing in the corner. Yulif only pretended to look, then turned his gaze back to Canaren. He wasn’t interested in Lucian’s poor handwriting. She was so much cuter and lovable, chattering excitedly.

He skillfully turned his head and drank milk before Canaren noticed his gaze.

Even though he didn’t add honey to his portion of milk, it was strangely sweet.