For You In The Cage - Chapter 55

The castle was spacious. It was too wide though.

Unlike the Imperial Palace, which was divided into a main palace and a separate palace, Yulif’s castle had only one castle. Nevertheless, because the scale was similar to the main palace of the Imperial Palace, Canaren got tired of walking.

Dining room, banquet hall, drawing room, study room, and finally the dressing room. She was exhausted even though they stopped by only the essential places she would visit while staying in the castle.

In particular, Canaren was mesmerized by the dressing room, which was larger than most houses, and the clothes and jewelry that filled it.

“Yulif, maybe… Are there a lot of women in the castle?”

Yulif’s usually surrounded by so many women. Canaren cried internally just by imagining it. She couldn’t understand why he saved her when he had someone else he loved.

Maybe the reason he broke up with the one he loved was because there were women living in the castle? Was she going to be one of those girls?

In Canaren’s mind, Yulif had already become an unscrupulous lustful man worse than the emperor.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. It takes a lot of women to wear the clothing here.”

Yulif was silent for a moment. Seeing him immersed in his thoughts, Canaren’s mood subsided completely.

She guessed there were so many people in the castle that he would have to think about for so long.

Roana said she was special, but she was mistaken. Or maybe she lied in order to avoid Canaren’s wrath.

Everyone must be pretty and sophisticated, but if she stayed with them, he wouldn’t even notice her.

Roana didn’t know anything. Canaren was angry with the innocent Roana.

“I’m going back to my room…”

Canaren couldn’t finish her words. Because Yulif let out a laugh. He turned his head and smiled, looking really happy.

Canaren couldn’t take her eyes off him.

It’s the first time she had seen Yulif smiling like that. His eyes were soft, and the corners of his mouth were drawn like a painting. The low-pitched laughter was chillingly good.

“Canaren.”

He smiled for a while and looked at Canaren. Canaren only nodded her head as if possessed.

“There are no women in the castle. The only women are the ones who get my paycheck and provide the workforce. That means the same to me, male or female.”

“Like Miss Roana?”

“Yes. Like Orcard.”

“Then what about all these dresses? If Yulif wears… they’re too small for you.”

Yulif laughed again this time. It was a bigger and clearer smile than before.

Canaren had no idea what the heck she was doing, making him smile like this.

“Like you said, it’s too small for me to wear. So you wear it.”

“…What?”

“They are for you. Entirely.”

Yulif grabbed Canaren’s shoulder and turned it gently. There was a feast of dazzling colors that hurt her eyes. Only for Canaren, these things prepared just for her shone.

The image of Yulif tangling with women, which broke her heart, suddenly disappeared. What took over was Yulif choosing a dress for her with a very serious look on his face.

She fits them and he doesn’t. Somehow she laughed. It was an excessive amount that it would take several years to wear them all, even if she changed one suit a day, but she had no intention of rejecting it.

Canaren looked back at Yulif and laughed softly.

“I like it a lot. Thank you, Yulif.”

*******

When they got out of the dressing room, it was time for lunch. Yulif took out his watch, looked at it, and took Canaren’s hand.

Canaren walked almost hanging from his arm. Even after running for hours in the forest, nothing happened, but after looking around a few rooms, she was exhausted.

“Where are we going?”

“Wonderland.”

“Are there any more wonderful places left?”

“Is it difficult? We can go later.”

“No. No. it’s not difficult, I can continue.”

Canaren let go of Yulif’s hand and clenched her fist tightly in a show of strength. Yulif smiled and took her hand again.

Yulif was smiling often today. Every time he laughed, her heart pounded faster. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt as if her whole body had become a heart.

“Greetings, my lord.”

“Greetings.”

As they walked through the wide hallways, they occasionally ran into people. Most were servants working in the castle, but there were also wizards and knights. When they looked at Yulif, their eyes were filled with fear, but for some reason, their eyes turned to admiration and goodwill when they turned to Canaren.

While exchanging eye contact with them without thinking, Yulif pulled her hand tighter.

“Yulif?”

“Ignore them.”

“Greetings? Oh, they’re not doing this for me, they’re doing it for Yulif?”

“It’s the same with saying hello to you. There is no need to make eye contact.”

“Yulif.”

Suddenly, Canaren’s voice became harsh. She stood tall in her place. Yulif had no choice but to stop following along.

“When the other person greets you, you do it together. You can’t ignore it. It’s basic courtesy.”

“It’s always been like this. It’s never been a problem. Never will.”

“That’s because they are scared of Yulif. And Yulif is their money giver. Who would say no to Yulif?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s also the money I give them to stop saying things I don’t like.”

“Yulif!”

Canaren finally screamed. Canaren had a headache because of Yulif, who had no idea what was really wrong. She could see why the people who passed by looked at Yulif like that.

“I don’t mean you always have to say hello in a friendly way. Just a glance is enough.”

“I don’t know why I should.”

“Have you ever thought about the feeling of being ignored every day?”

“It does not exist.”

“That’s too much, really.”

Yulif sighed at the sincere blow.

Salaries were being paid on time, and they were paying higher rates than those working in the capital. As an employer, that’s fine. What’s the problem?

He walked away from her, and Canaren continued to chirp as she followed him. Yulif was a very blunt person, he said it was too much to even accept greetings, he can’t hold people’s hearts with money alone, and so on.

A tightly closed door appeared in front of them. Yulif opened the door by magic. Canaren turned white as she looked out the open door.

“I, I can’t go.”

Beyond the open door, a spiral staircase stretched endlessly upward. She tilted her neck all the way, and only then did she see the end. It wasn’t the end of the stairs, it was the end of the tower. The stairs led to the top of the tower.

She couldn’t believe he was walking up there. She could never do it. She was either going to collapse now or collapsed while climbing. She didn’t know what’s at the top of the tower, but there was only one option if she had to go.

“Can I fly? Yulif… It might be a little difficult. I’ll give it a try though.”

“What?”

“I cannot go alone. I was able to do it with Miss Roana, so Yulif would be fine. Leave it to me.”

Canaren spread her wings. Then she looked towards Yulif with her arms wide open.

Yulif was busy examining her wings, not understanding her behavior at all.

Her wings, which had been wounded in her northern part, healed cleanly. Thanks to all the healing wizards in the territory pouring their magical powers, no small scars were left behind.

“Yulif, what are you doing? Let’s go! It will be quick if we fly.”

“Ah.”

It was then that Yulif realized what Canaren wanted. At the same time, laughter erupted again.

Canaren was small enough to barely reach his shoulder. As small as her stature was, she was also small, and the wings on her back sometimes looked heavy. He had no desire to fly away in her arms. If it was the other way around, he didn’t know.

Canaren, having no idea what Yulif was thinking, smirked as he slowly approached her. It must be a different feeling from flying with magic. The flight of the Hwira tribe riding on the wind was very pleasant. An entirely different sound came out of Canaren’s mouth, as she was about to shout confidently.

“Yu-Yulif! Why are you here all of a sudden?”

“You can’t fly with me hanging.”

“You have to do it to know. Roana did it! Yulif, wait, put me down!”

“Stay still. I won’t do anything.”

Canaren calmed herself in his arms with a blush on her face. He wouldn’t do anything. She was already being embraced by his arms, not saying anything.

Yulif slowly climbed the stairs as Canaren, who had been struggling, calmed down.

Thump thump thump. Canaren wished the sound of his steady footsteps had been a little louder. Only then will her heart beating like crazy not be noticed. She clasped her hands together and pressed them against her chest. Her heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt, just like right after she ran with him full power.

At the top was another door. When he climbed the last stair and stopped, the door opened as if it was waiting.

Canaren squinted at the pouring light.

The light that had dyed her eyes white faded, and the scenery approaching with the wind shook Canaren’s heart.

The place where the two were located was the highest bell tower in the castle. A castle built in the center of Pionia, on top of the highest tower there, Pionia literally seemed to be spread out under her feet.

It was a beautiful place. People who came and went between the buildings built in various colors were full of life, and there was thick greenery beyond the low walls surrounding the city. There were large and small villages among the dense forests.

Canaren’s gaze naturally turned to the south. The bell tower was very high, but she couldn’t see her hometown, which was quite far from the city. It also meant that Yulif’s estate was wide.

Thanks to the wonderful scenery, Canaren’s face, which had been painted in different colors, darkened.

Yulif lowered her down carefully. Canaren leaned her body against her railing. Her gaze was still on the invisible village.

Every time a strong wind blew between her feathers, she felt the urge to blow away. It was a separate feeling from liking Yulif. She couldn’t live here forever just because she liked him. Because he’s never going to like her.

But he was not as unbearable as in the Imperial Palace. Even though it was half way, she got freedom here. She came as far as she could fly if she wanted to.

Most of all, she escaped from the emperor who was persecuting her. There was not even her maid who ignored her and tormented her in her sullen way.

The cheerful and friendly Roana and the blunt but friendly Yulif stood by her side. Her own future, which seemed only dark when she was in the Imperial Palace, was changing little by little.

Canaren suddenly thought that Yulif would one day send her back to her village. It was like foreshadowing.

“Amazing place.”

Her untied hair fluttered in the wind. Canaren ran her hair behind her ears and turned to Yulif.

He took a step behind her and looked at her. Their eyes met exactly. His deep eyes embraced her as if climbing her stairs.

“I hope you like it.”

“I like it. Really.”

“Yes. Don’t expect too much. Because it is dangerous.”

Canaren meekly fell off the railing. The wind was quite strong because it was in a high place. Yulif took off his cloak from his shoulders and covered her.

It’s weird. Yulif was so kind today. No, he’s usually kind, but today he’s much sweeter. Instead of the cold glance he sometimes showed, he showed a nice smile and even laughed out loud.

She might have gotten a little closer to Yulif. Canaren, whose reason melted away, put an impulsive question into her mouth.

“Yulif, maybe… Did you come to my room last night?”

“No.”

The reason she felt cold when she got an answer right away was probably because it’s not the answer she was expecting. Canaren suddenly became sullen.

“I never visited.”

Yulif’s resolute voice hammered the nail again. He seemed to be scolding her not to make a pointless misunderstanding.

She was fine. Even if all the sweetness of last night was a dream, because today Yulif was really sweet. Because he laughed a lot.

Canaren quickly lifted her spirits.

“Slowly go down. It’s time for lunch.”

“Why did you ask about that?”

“Ah… it’s nothing. I felt a touch for a while while I was sleeping. It must have been Roana. I will go down by myself.”

Canaren folded her wings and took the lead.

Yulif’s expression as he followed her silently was unusual.