CH 1

Chapter 1: Appointment

The bright lights of the royal palace banquet hall were turned on after a long time. Nobles would gather in the banquet hall early to talk.

“I heard that His Majesty is in a good mood these days, but I didn’t know he would be hosting a banquet himself.”

“Why would he not like it? I got rid of the thorn from his eyes.”

“Can you really say that it was cleared?”

Someone pinched the truth in a cynical way. The nobles exchanged meaningful glances. Some sighed or drank champagne with a rather dark look.

The ‘thorn in the eyes’ he was referring to was the emperor’s twin brother, Duke Rubius.

It was not surprising that Deltinus took the opportunity whenever he had a chance to kill his brother. The tenacity of Deltinus was so great that the anecdote that he assigned Duke Rubius to the barbarian garrison without allowing a single soldier to accompany him was very famous.

Yet, Yulif came back alive every time. It was an advantage that he had built up great achievements in the process as well.

Duke Rubius was soon treated like an invincible guardian among the people of the Empire. Rather, when it became a laughable thing that Deltinus strangled himself, he ran like crazy. 

“Heh heh, more than that, it is said that ‘that’ comes out at today’s banquet. Did you all hear it?”

“Oh, finally!”

“I heard that there is a Hwira village in the Duke’s estate. Heh heh, if the Duke dies…”

“Everyone, be quiet. His Majesty is approaching.”

The hall became quiet at the voice of the chamberlain announcing the emperor’s appearance. After a while, Deltinus, dressed in a fancy banquet attire, entered the hall. The intense red cloak attracted attention. Deltinus dragged the red cloak and in a leisurely pace, passed among the people. He looked like a blood-soaked red snake.

As if he was in a good mood, the corners of his mouth soared to the fullest. Still, the nobles bowed their heads and avoided meeting his gaze in case there was a spark. So no one saw the whip wrapped around the waist.

“I’m pleased that everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

“Thank you for inviting me to your precious palace, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty and the future of the Empire will be filled with endless glory.”

“You don’t have to be too rigid. You can enjoy it comfortably.”

Deltinus, who smiled slowly, stood in the center of the venue. There was still something left to say. The many eyes looking at him were mixed with anticipation and anxiety.

“Something seemed missing, but now I see there’s no music. It’s a problem if there’s no music at the party. Bring her.”

Finally, ‘It’ is coming out. The protagonist of the rumor that spread widely in the Imperial Palace.

Deltinus flicked his fingers lightly. The guard, dressed in his armor, pulled out a cart with a large object covered in black cloth.

The arch-shaped thing stood tall in front of Deltinus. The nobles glanced at Deltinus’ eyes and at the cloth-covered object.

“Let me introduce what the Emperor caught in his hunt.”

Deltinus grabbed the cloth and pulled it down. The fabric came off and fell to the floor. The eyes of those who saw what finally appeared open-wide with astonishment and surprise.

A woman was trapped in a huge cage. Her curly, lemon-colored hair was dyed white towards the end, as if snow had fallen, suggesting that she was not an ordinary person at first glance. In addition, two pairs of large wings sprouting from her back and pointed ears with feathers at the tip added to the mystery.

As Deltinus touched it, the cage door opened silently. When she saw the Deltinus crawling into her cage, she hurriedly backed away from him. However, no matter how big it was, she was still inside a cage with bars on all sides. Soon, her face turned white as her back slammed against the grate.

Deltinus sat down with her hair terrifyingly wrapped in his fingers, and kissed her. Then he grabbed her slender arm violently and forced her to stand up.

“Ohh, ah….!”

“I haven’t done anything yet. Why are you so frightened?”

Deltinus’ arms wrapped around her thin waist. A sticky voice licked her ears.

“Every time you act like this, I get so excited I can’t stand it.”

The voice of desire was terrifying. She struggled to get away from Deltinus, but the shackles tied to her ankles were very heavy.

Deltinus, who looked at the clinking shackles with nonchalant eyes, turned her around toward the people.

“My beautiful golden bird, Canaren.”

Small exclamations that couldn’t be identified as lamentation or admiration leaked out everywhere. Then, the small murmurs of the nobles drifted like echoes.

“It is indeed the Hwira tribe. Much more beautiful than rumors.”

“It’s not easy to find the Hwira people these days.”

“His Majesty said he stays at the Star Palace every day… Will he have a concubine this time?”

“I heard their singing skills are very good.”

“His Majesty can’t sleep without her song.”

“The Empress’ seat may be in danger.”

Deltinus was in high spirits. He couldn’t help but be happy that the loot he had hunted with his own hands received good reviews. But the moment the empress’s name rose and fell in their mouths, his mood plummeted in an instant.

The air flowing around Deltinus grew wild. It was the feeling right before harsh beating began. The sensitive Canaren who noticed that shivered from head to toe. The fear engraved into her bones from past experiences came flooding back.

“Sing.”

The nobles gathered at the banquet hall looked forward to the beautiful singing of one from the Hwira tribe that the emperor had captured.

“Oh, ah…… Oh, uh….”

But what escaped from Canaren’s lips was not a song like a bird’s chirping, but a short moan that didn’t even form a word.

Deltinus’ forehead slowly twisted. He clasped Canaren’s chin furiously and whispered lowly in her ear.

“Everyone is watching. Are you going to make the Emperor look funny?”

“Ho, uh, oh….. Oh, uh…!”

Tears flowed from Canaren’s eyes. No words came out. There was only a strange moan as if a stone had been lodged in her throat.

She had become a mute who couldn’t say anything except for when she was singing.

After being caught and trapped in the Imperial Palace, she did everything she could. She tried begging by clinging onto the legs of Deltinus, and knelt on the floor. Whenever that happened, what always returned was a maddening sneer and a whip digging into her skin.

Canaren behaved as he wanted. As if looking for his mother, he looked for her every night, and she would sing a lullaby while he hugged her thigh. Unfortunately or fortunately, the emperor would fall asleep quickly. Whenever she felt that lukewarm weight laid across her thighs, she got goosebumps and felt like she was going to die, but that was the only way she could survive with the mad emperor.

She wanted to give up. Her heart was broken to the point where she could not even speak.

But the emperor was not satisfied.

“Are you ignoring my orders? You have a lot of gall to play with Yulif.”

Canaren shook her head violently.

All she did was meet Yulif by chance at the lake and they exchanged a few words with each other.

Deltinus tormented her tenaciously under the pretext of her only meeting with him. It was as if he poured all his hatred towards Yulif on her. Even her maids were fed up with the treatment of not giving her a sip of water.

Deltinus looked down at her coldly. This was a place to clearly imprint who her owner was. To the nobles and to Canaren.

Canaren was pushed by a violent force and she fell onto the floor. She watched as Deltinus drew a whip from his waist.

He swung his arm once, and the whip slammed onto the floor with a ripping sound. A faint madness flashed in Deltinus’s eyes, which contained Canaren.

“A bird that cannot sing must cry.”

Deltinus swung his whip without hesitation. Canaren tightly closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands.

She hated it. Singing for this man, being thrown away into a terrible cage like trash, or being trapped in a dark room and calling someone for help.

As the mad emperor said, how great would it be if Yulif rescued her.

The vain and foolish expectations burst as quickly as a bubble. There was no way the duke who had nothing to do with her would come forward. Above all, it was said that the duke went to the North to subdue the barbarians.

“Forgive me for being late.”

At that moment, another voice came from right in front of her. Canaren slowly raised her head. Someone was standing in front with his back facing her.

The whip that flew towards her was wrapped around his arm. The man blocked the whip.

“Oh….”

Looking at his wide back, Canaren gasped without realizing it. Somehow, as soon as she saw his back, her heart was relieved.

Did he hear her voice? The man looked back slowly. At the moment, the cold and neat face of the man was distorted as if he was enduring suffering. But it was very fleeting. So much that no one saw the brief expression.

“…Yulif?”