For You In The Cage

Episode 21: The Memories of the First Opera that Wasn’t Beautiful (VI)

*******

Yulif ordered the theater owner to bring a carriage.

Canaren was biting her lips with a pale face the whole time she waited for their carriage. She wasn’t particularly hurt, but she felt like her mind had been wrecked.

Yulif kept quietly by her side.

It wasn’t long before the carriage arrived.

「I’m sorry.」

It was the first words she spoke as soon as they got on the carriage. Yulif asked with a genuinely puzzled voice.

「Why are you apologizing?」

「I just think it’s all because of me. If I hadn’t said I wanted to go, if I hadn’t made a strange wish, this wouldn’t have happened.」

Canaren made a wish to leave Deltinus and for the two of them to see an opera together. Her most urgent and earnest wish was to return to the village, but it was not possible right away, so she requested that with a light heart.

「Then the singer wouldn’t have had to sing so painfully.」

「Canaren, it’s not your fault.」

「She was crying on stage. How long has that person been… just crying like that? She doesn’t even ask for help anymore. Yulif, what if I become the same? I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want to sing because I’m locked up……」

In her gibberish, Canaren covered her ears with her trembling hands.

The singer’s scream, which could no longer be heard, kept ringing in her ears. After her anger towards Deltinus had dissipated, the endless sadness she felt, filled with her deep despair, took its place.

「There is no such thing.」

His strong yet gentle voice embraced her.

Yulif’s warm hand gently placed over Canaren’s, which covered her ears.

Suddenly, he moved to the seat next to her and offered a kind consolation.

「I’m here, so you don’t have to worry about anything.」

‘You will not be locked up here for the rest of your life, nor will you be bullied by Deltinus. You must live happier than anyone else. I will make it that way.’

‘Because that’s the reason I went back in time and came to you.’

Canaren, whose body had been trembling, gradually regained her composure. She knew that unpaid favors were dangerous. But Yulif could be trusted. What he had shown so far proved that.

The reason she was able to throw the watch at Deltinus was because Yulif was by her side.

Canaren decided to bet her courage once more. The courage to trust Yulif.

Yulif lifted his hand and tried to return to his original seat. Canaren hurriedly grabbed his sleeve.

「If you are by my side… Can you sit with me?」

Yulif thought for a moment, then shook his head. It was not a good idea for him to have physical contact with her.

When he held her hand, he wanted to hug her. If he hugged her, he would want to kiss her lips. Like when he held her when she rolled on the grass. After kissing her lips, he would want to do more. There is no end to desire. He will want her more and more, and he will make her sick one day.

「Uncomfortable.」

「Me? Or Yulif?」

「Both.」

「I am not uncomfortable. Rather, it’s more comfortable. I can’t hear the singer’s song because Yulif is next to me. Still… If Yulif is uncomfortable, there is nothing I can do about it.」

As Canaren said it, held onto Yulif’s sleeve. In the end, Yulif sighed.

「Don’t come too close.」

「Yes!」

A bright answer and smile returned. She didn’t know what he was thinking.

Canaren shifted her body, and she sat as close to him as possible.

What she said to him was not an excuse, it was the truth. As soon as Yulif’s warm hand touched, the voice stopped like magic. Instead of the unhappy and gloomy singing, which made her go crazy, the sound of his heartbeat was heard at regular intervals.

Yulif’s heartbeat.

Their distance was completely reduced, and the arms of the two touched like a fleeting brush.

Yulif folded his arms and sneaked away from her. Canaren, who suddenly had a playful sense of humor, moved again. Yulif squinted his eyes towards one side of her and sat a little away from her altogether.

Canaren’s eyes twinkled at the blatant movement.

「You’re avoiding me, am I right?」

「No. This posture is comfortable.」

「You definitely avoided it! Why are you avoiding it? Yulif, are you uncomfortable? Or what is bothering you?」

「It’s not uncomfortable, it’s also not bothersome. I just moved because there was no reason to sit there.」

Canaren narrowed her eyes.

「You know what? What you just said was the longest sentence you said today.」

Yulif had nothing to say. Because it was true.

As the momentum rose, Canaren pushed her face forward.

「If it’s not inconvenient or annoying, what is it?」

「Nothing. You’re too close.」

He was too embarrassed to even think about it. Yulif folded his arms in embarrassment and closed his eyes.

But Canaren was a woman who did not give up. In particular, it was the first time she saw Yulif in such trouble.

She didn’t know he could make a face like this. Discovering his new expressions could become a new hobby.

Like a child who found her favorite toy, she clung tenaciously.

「Please answer me. What?」

Canaren grabbed his arm. The wind lifted his sleeves, revealing his snake tattoo. Canaren was looking up at him, so she didn’t even pay attention to it.

When his arms were shaken back and forth about five times, he was forced to open his eyes.The face he naturally recalled was overlaid on the bright and innocent face.

Wet eyes covered with rain clouds, pale skin with no life at all, chapped lips with blood dripping from them, and a despondent smile.

‘You are so silent today. Is there anything you want to say to me? Anything is fine, so please let me hear your voice.’

「Yulif, you’re sick… Aren’t you?」

Yulif felt a touch on his cheek and woke up from his thoughts. Canaren gave him a worried look.

「I think your complexion is a little off. Are you okay?」

「There is no problem.」

「You might have a fever… What’s this on your arm?」

Canaren rolled his sleeves up, and she was startled. The same snake tattoo on Deltinus’ arm was also engraved on Yulif’s arm.

‘When did it happen? It’s so big and dark, why haven’t I noticed it until now?’

Yulif always kept a close eye on his condition. He treated her meticulously without missing out on even the smallest scratch. But she……

Canaren’s mind started to sink again. It wasn’t time for this, but she had to know what the tattoo was. Did Deltinus show the tattoo to her and say it was a ‘curse’? She did not know much about magic, but there were quite a few things that were similar to curses picked up by her mother and villagers.

「Yulif, let me take a look. Did the Emperor say it was a curse? If it’s a curse, I might be able to help.」

“Yulif, look at me. Did the emperor say it was a curse? If it’s a curse, I might be able to help.”

「It’s rubbish. It’s not like a curse.」

「It’s not? Then why do you two have the same tattoo? It wasn’t there before. I would have definitely remembered it.」

「You have nothing to worry about.」

Again. He drew a line like that again and shut her out with an expression that she couldn’t say anything to.

Canaren saw his lips tighten in a stubborn line; he was angry. No, rather than being angry… It was close to sadness.

Occasionally, Canaren found an endless fatigue in him. Each time she saw him, he looked very tired, like someone being chased by something. It’s like he was taking on the whole world.

No matter how great a wizard he was, that was impossible.

Canaren wanted Yulif to rest as long as he was with her, she thought. Just as Yulif had given her her sanctuary, she wanted to do the same.

But if he drew a line like that, then she couldn’t do anything.

「It will disappear over time. Do not worry.」

「No, I do not want that. I will be concerned.」

「Canaren.」

「Isn’t Yulif stubborn too? I have to be stubborn like this.」

Canaren turned her head away from him.

The more she asked, the more obvious he would speak in circles. No matter what she said, Yulif wouldn’t go into detail.

As expected, Yulif remained silent.

‘Why won’t you tell me? Do you not trust me?’

Canaren looked only at the window, silent. She realized it was getting close to lunch time. The street was crowded with all kinds of people. It was completely different from the quiet and well-organized scenery near the Imperial Palace.

All of the novelties were seducing her, but she was not inclined to observe them with interest. Normally, she would ask if she would return to the Imperial Palace, but she didn’t want to open her mouth.

For a while, the only noise in the carriage was the sound of the horseshoes rattling.