For You In The Cage

Episode 102: Break the Cage (III)

“The emperor… what?”

The hand that was caught by Rena trembled greatly. Without focus, dazed eyes stared at the empty air. Canaren’s forehead crumpled as she recalled the sight that she never wanted to think about again.

Yulif, who left the castle saying he had work, came back quickly, so it was questionable. However, since Yulif was a wizard, it was not strange to appear anytime or anywhere.

Now that she thought about it, it seemed that the clothes Yulif was wearing had changed. But Canaren couldn’t believe in Rena’s words.

‘I can tell the difference between Yulif and the Emperor. I’ve never been wrong.’

Canaren recalled ever seeing the brothers standing side by side in the same clothes in an audience room, and having to choose the real Yulif between them. As soon as she unrolled the cloth that covered her eyes, she recognized Yulif at a glance. The emperor, who went down on his knees and asked her to choose him without knowing that fact, was just faking it.

They might look the same to other people, but not to her. From the emperor, there was a terrible smell, and a desperate scream. The smell and sound of souls the emperor harassed and killed. She couldn’t have misunderstood. Rena must be lying.

Canaren turned away from Rena, who stared at her with eager eyes.

“You don’t have to lie. I can tell the difference between Yulif and the emperor.”

“Madam, I am not lying. The emperorwas the one to grab me that day. The duke has never put his hand on me…”

“Stop! Please stop Why are you lying like that? Did Yulif put you to this? Did he tell you to reassure me with a lie because he’s afraid I’ll run away again? I can’t even run away anyway…!”

Covering her face with her hands, Canaren burst into tears. She was locked up in a castle, miserable, as she could not do anything. Yulif, who did not recognize her feelings, was savage. She hated Rena, who kept hiding the truth and kept telling her lies. She resented her self-awareness for saving herself from trying to disappear from the world.

But what she hated the most was that she was the fool herself, who once again had expectations at Rena’s words, although they were clearly lies. Why couldn’t he let her go? Why couldn’t she give up? Now was the time to let go.

—A bird that emerges from the egg considers the first being it sees as its mother and follows it. Thinking that existence is everything in the world.

The day she first met Yulif at the Imperial Palace, the moment he asked if she was okay, she must have imprinted on him as a unique being.

Are you okay? If she had known the repercussions of this sentence that wasn’t friendly but harsh. If it hadn’t been for the beautiful and charming smile that Yulif showed in the village. If only he hadn’t saved her whenever she was in danger. If so, could she not have loved him?

“Really, I don’t know anything anymore. You are the one Yulif wants. But why… You are even lying like this… Why are you making me miserable?”

“The duke does not love me. Of course, he never put his hand on me. Madam, please believe me. Muasa… your friend knows this too. The person who touched me is trying to destroy you.”

Rena’s voice that brought up even Muasa was desperate. Canaren lowered the hand that covered her face and looked directly at Rena.

“So Yulif has been pretending to love you all this time? Why?”

“I don’t know the exact reason either, but yes. I came to Pionia on orders from the emperor. It was an order to break the relationship between the duchess and the duke. It’s because of me that His Majesty has come to Pionia so suddenly. I think he came to watch me.”

Rena, who had confided the entire truth, bit her lips. The emperor’s order…? Canaren forgot to even blink and went blank. Rena’s expression was too dark and serious for her to lie.

Canaren clutched the blanket and tried to clear her jumbled up head.

Rena was a member of the congratulatory group sent by the emperor. She recalled what was said in their first meal together… Her father, the count, was in prison. Maybe she did all this to save her father?’ 

If the emperor imprisoned Rena’s father and threatened her, it’s not an absurd story at all.

…Did she really mistake the emperor for Yulif? Did she make a stupid mistake?

Then the door opened. Since no one was speaking, the sound of the door opening was clearly visible in the quiet room. Canaren and Rena turned to look at the door at the same and saw someone coming in. It was Yulif.

He approached with an elegant gait without a sound and looked at Canaren and Rena alternately. Tears were welling up in Canaren’s eyes. In addition, her complexion was also a pale blue, to the point it would not be strange to lose consciousness immediately. It seemed that Rena Harrodsell was making useless moves.

Yulif glanced at Rena with cold eyes. Get away from my wife. Rena, who read his eyes, got up quickly.

“Thank you for your time, Madam. I hope you’ll realize there is no lie in my words. Please believe me. I’m going to take my leave.”

Even after Rena left, Yulif only looked at Canaren. His tenacious gaze and the heavy silence made Canaren even more confused.

If Rena was right, the emperor deliberately pretended to be Yulif and assaulted her. To shake Canaren’s trust in Yulif. That way, Canaren would try to check whether there was a barrier or not.

Canaren squeezed her eyes shut. Stupid! She was so stupid. She had become a doll that moves according to the script on the stage prepared by the emperor. A stringed doll with no will or reason.

Even though she was shocked by Rena, if she had calmed down a little, she would have recognized it was the emperor. Canaren blamed herself, deeply regretting it.

But in the corner of her heart, another woman, the one who had been hurt by Yulif, whispered.

It’s true that she was deceived by the emperor, but it’s also true that Yulif imprisoned her with magic. Whether she was deceived by the emperor or not, the result was the same. It would have been revealed at any time. The barrier has nothing to do with the emperor or Rena. Yulif cheated and betrayed her.

It was frustrating, it was painful, and she didn’t know who to blame or hate, so her heart felt like it was going to explode. Her stomach turned over and her hot, parched throat ached.

Yulif still had her in his eyes. Even at this point, she was possessed by his gaze, by his beautifully shining purple eyes.

Canaren clenched her teeth and raised her upper body. Only then did Yulif move. His large hands rested on her back, wet with cold sweat.

“Are you in pain? Did you get treatment? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t Yulif say anything?”

“I don’t know what you are asking.”

“Rena said that the emperor ordered her to come here. That the emperor told her to separate us!”

Yulif neither affirmed nor denied. His ambiguous attitude made Canaren more confident. That everything Rena said was the truth. Even though Yulif knew that fact, he accepted Rena, and he pretended to love her.

Canaren clenched her fist and slapped Yulif on the shoulder. She hated Yulif, who even tried to make her give up by acting with another woman. She hates him so much.

On the one hand, the sense of incongruity she had been harboring all along took on a more concrete form. It seemed that Yulif had more to hide from her. No, there must be more. It might have something to do with the reason why he did a play that wasn’t even funny with Rena. Canaren urged Yulif.

“What else are you hiding? Why are there so many things to hide? Why do I always have to listen about Yulif from others? Yulif’s wife is me! If that’s the case, then why did you decide to get married? Why me… to make a fool of me?  Did you have fun? Do you enjoy watching me laugh and cry because of you? Because I don’t know anything? Why am I the only one who knows nothing, why!”

“Canaren.”

Yulif covered Canaren’s face with both hands. A warm finger that didn’t match his ice-cold heart ran under her eyes and caressed his lips. His eyes were so tender, his lips were drawn into a faint smile that was like a painting, and his touch was so sweet that it was like a dream.

It didn’t matter if it’s a dream. It would be better if it was real. Canaren wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I will never forgive you… I will never forgive you for the rest of my life.”

She hated him for betraying her.  She hated him for making more secrets and not telling her properly until the end. And yet she couldn’t hurt him. She didn’t want to hurt him.

‘It’s sad that my love hurts you. It’s sad that my love is tormenting you. It’s sad that you hate my love so terribly. So I will continue to love you. Because this is the best revenge and forgiveness I can have. All I know how to do is love you. Even if my heart is broken by being stabbed, and cut and wet with tears.’

Canaren kissed Yulif. He would push her away with anger. Would she be okay if he does? Still she was used to it now. Still, she didn’t want to see Yulif’s angry face, so she closed her eyes. The tears that had been welling fell.

And at that moment, a thrust of hot flesh touched Canaren’s lips.

“Hah….!”

Yulif’s tongue didn’t miss it; it poked in the gap between her lips, which gasped in amazement. His tongue, entangled in Canaren’s, which had hardened not knowing what to do, was rather sensual yet rough. As Canaren twisted her body, his tight arms wrapped around her waist. He seemed to be saying he wouldn’t let her run away.

His deep, ferocious, tenacious kiss continued for a long time. Wherever his tongue touched and went, it was hot as if a flame had fallen. Her head was hazy as if a fog had risen.

Afraid of the dizzying sensation she felt whenever their tongues mixed, Canaren clung to Yulif with all her might. As if responding to that, Yulif pulled her waist tighter. The bodies of the two of them were tightly intertwined.

“Ah, hah…”

Yulif’s lips, which had been obsessively coveting Canaren’s lips, fell slowly. A sweet breath tickled Yulif’s face as Canaren drew in untidy, rough breaths.

Yulif lightly rubbed Canaren’s wet lips with his thumb. Then he buried his face in the nape of her stretched white neck. The sweet and fragrant smell of skin vibrated. Yulif’s arm was energized by the sensation he had never been able to enjoy to his heart’s content even though he was always by her side.

Canaren’s neck was white, soft, and smelled sweet. Even though Yuilf’s body was losing his senses, he could clearly and vividly feel the things related to Canaren. Was it like putting together very finely grounded sugar? Maybe it wasn’t red blood that was flowing under Canaren’s skin, but golden honey.

Yulif pushed Canaren to the bed. And he climbed on top of her. His always calm and cold eyes trembled dangerously and hotly. One regression, two lives. There was no way to resolve it, and the accumulated desires inside him were about to burst.