CH 7

******

“Lay down comfortably.”

Canaren shook her head. She curled up on the edge of the bed and hugged her knees.

Deltinus disappeared from view, and even though the location had changed, her heart was still pounding. It seemed like it would pop out if she opened her mouth. Was it because she had seen him for the first time in a few days, or because the pain she went through was still vividly engraved on her. It was more frightening and terrifying than the first day she was whipped by Deltinus.

The feeling of dirty lust from his hands and eyes touching her skin was disgusting. It felt like a worm with dozens of legs crawling on her skin.

She would never forget it for the rest of her life. The goosebumps that sprouted on her arms had not yet subsided.

If it hadn’t been for the watch Yulif gave her, if he hadn’t come on time, she would have been subjected to Deltinus’s wishes.

In fact, Canaren felt slightly betrayed. Yulif’s reply that he needed some time sounded like he wouldn’t necessarily help her.

Everyone said that Yulif was a great wizard. She saw and experienced it herself. Blowing up knights, healing wounds, and remodeling an ordinary-looking watch into a magic tool.

So she hoped. As long as he helped her, she would be able to return to the village.

It was a sense of betrayal that remained in the place where hope was broken.

But, even with his excuses or not, Yulif did save her many times. That was the truth.

.

It was he who ignited the fires of hope that were slowly extinguishing as well. It was then that Canaren realized that she hadn’t even properly expressed her gratitude to him.

“……Uh, uh.”

“Is there something you need?”

Canaren motioned her hands as if writing. Yulif brought a pen and paper from somewhere.

<Thank you for saving me.>

“Sorry for being late. I should have done better.”

<That’s not true.>

“Why do you think it is not?”

Canaren was curious about his question. Why?

<Yulif and I only met once at the lake. It’s not like we were friends, it’s like we know each other. It’s not easy to help a stranger.>

There was no answer from Yulif, who had been answering her words. Canaren assumed he agreed silently.

<Thank you.>

“It was what I had to do. Don’t thank me.”

It was a matter-of-fact tone that even felt cold. Canaren felt a little gloomy somehow.

What did he mean not to thank him, why did he use harsh words like that? Why were there so many things that shouldn’t be done here?

She put down the pen and hugged her knees again. During their brief conversation, her startled mind calmed down a lot. She soon felt a chill in the quietly submerged air.

Cold. However, she did not want to cover herself with the duvet because she did not know who had touched it. It was right after she almost got attacked by Deltinus.

Canaren touched the corner of her mouth, where she had been hit by Deltinus, and her lips had been cut. Yulif had healed her. Her wounds disappeared, and she felt no pain. There were no traces left by Deltinus.

She wished it had all been a dream.

She gently pulled out her wings, which she had hidden. If she covered her body with her wings, she would quickly become warm.

“Canaren.”

“……?”

“I’ll let you fly. If that is comforting to you.”

Canaren lifted her head. Yulif snapped his fingers.

Then something magical happened.

The large window swung open without a sound. She didn’t know that the window, which she had been trying to open until her fingernails broke and bled, could open so easily.

Canaren was disappointed and happy at the same time. The curtains fluttered in the cool night breeze. The round moon was shining brightly between them.

Yulif stood with his back against her and then turned slightly, holding his hand out to her. In the moonlight, he glowed softly and subtle like the moon.

“Will you fly with me? Even if it will be for a while.”

Canaren, whose expression brightened as if she was about to run away, hesitated. It was because the threats that Deltinus had spoken many times came to mind.

“Don’t even think about running away. Because all the windows are locked. Even if the windows were to be opened, the moment you spread your wings and soar up, arrows and magic would fly and pierce your wings. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to try flying at least once as you have four wings.”

Canaren gave Yulif a gloomy look. Again, Yulif spoke as if he had read her mind.

“It will be fine if it is with me. I can stop anything from flying.”

Before he could even finish speaking, Canaren spread her wings and flew.

She passed Yulif and ran straight out the window. Flying into the night sky.

Two pairs of pure white wings spread out like a painting in the night sky. Feathers fell from the pure white wings shining brightly in the moonlight.

Yulif couldn’t take his eyes off the fantastic sight for a second. A few feathers were carried by the wind into the room. One of them gently tickled Yulif’s cheek. It was so soft it felt like a dream.

“Come!”

Soaring high in the sky, Canaren floated down and reached out to Yulif. Canaren’s face, looking at the sky that she had longed for, was brighter and more beautiful than the moonlight.

It was just one word, but when he heard her clear voice, a faint smile spread across Yulif’s face.

The smile that appeared and disappeared in an instant was so wonderful.

Yulif took Canaren’s smaller hand. There was not even the slightest hesitation in his movement of stepping onto the window sill and jumping off it. His wingless body floated lightly into the air.

Canaren, who was using a lot of strength to support him, blinked her eyes in surprise.

“I can fly too.”

Canaren laughed as if she was having fun.

If she could speak, she wanted to ask why there were so many things that he could do, and if all wizards were like that? She wanted to chatter constantly. She couldn’t, so she shouted and she laughed once more.

Big and beautiful wings flapped vigorously.

*****

No matter how talented Yulif was, he could not keep up with the smooth flight of the Hwira tribe, who lived with the wind and sky as friends.

Canaren, who had been roaming the night sky to her heart’s content, only realized that Yulif was nowhere to be seen until after a long time had passed. She looked around her with a bewildered expression.

“I’m going to find you, so what if you go alone?”

Suddenly, Yulif appeared from behind. Contrary to the content, his tone was soft, so it was easy to recognize that it was a joke.

He held Canaren’s hand tightly. Canaren, who was staring still at her hand held by him, folded her wings in half and made a motion as if walking in the air. She was trying to be considerate of Yulif, who was not accustomed to flying. Yulif, who properly noticed her intentions, used his magic powers to balance his body and walk through the sky.

Starlight twinkled like lights above their heads and beneath their feet. A faint melody mingled with the quiet night wind. It was a song that Canaren hummed. There was a gentle joy in her hum without words.

With her eyes closed, Canaren, who had been absorbed in the flight after a long time, slowly opened her eyes.

The Hwira people measure the direction, distance, and time by how the wind brushed against their wings. The village that was her hometown and the home of her life was far away. But no matter how far away it was, it was fine. As long as she has two pairs of strong wings that allow her to fly freely in the sky, she could always go back.

“We have to go back, now.”

Her humming stopped. Canaren bit her lower lip and looked at Yulif with her sad face.

It was even more difficult to believe because the voice announcing the end of the night walk was so sweet.

The feelings of betrayal, which she thought she had forgotten, came crashing down like a wave. The wave shattered the expectations that were growing secretly in the corner of her heart like a sandcastle.

Obviously, Yulif had told her this, the moment before he opened the window. She knew. She remembered. Yet the freedom she hadn’t tasted in a long time was so sweet that she didn’t want to go down. She didn’t want to go back to the Imperial Palace, where it was stuffy and terrible.

If she clung onto him, crying. Would he, maybe, be reluctant to take her out, again? No, he didn’t have to take her out in the first place. If he had just pretended to not know her… 

Canaren grabbed Yulif’s sleeve. Her sad eyes were blocked by Yulif’s calm expression. Canaren was briefly in despair.

“You must have been shocked by what happened today. I know.”

No, he didn’t know. He had never been imprisoned, how would he know?

Canaren shook her head violently. Yulif continued to speak.

“It’s all my fault. It will never happen again.”

Yulif’s voice cracked in pain sounding like parched sand, Canaren thought.

Suddenly, she wondered if he was suffering too, but then the thought disappeared. How odd, there was no reason for him to suffer.

Yulif spoke, placing his right hand on his left chest. It was like he was pressing his heart down.

“Trust me just this once.”

The inside of her mouth that was being chewed was rough like sand. Yet, if it was something she needed to believe in, then Carnaren wanted to believe him right away. If she didn’t trust him, the only one she met in the spacious Imperial Palace, who could she trust?

But if she believed him, what difference would it make? Faith alone could not change this situation.

Does he plan to just leave her in the room all the time? What she needed was freedom, not shallow and cruel consolation.

Canaren looked at him with eyes full of those words.

Yulif did not avoid her complex eyes filled with many emotions. After a sigh of resignation, she paused at the spot and then she turned her body towards the Imperial Palace.

That was all she could do right now.