CH 44

The way back was peaceful. Thanks to Deltinus being locked into the carriage on the excuse that he was tired, Canaren moved comfortably on horseback.

Yulif on the right and Roana on the left blocked the awkward gazes and attention.

When evening came, Deltinus did not stop at the castle of the local lord where he had originally planned to stay, but instead chose to camp. The nobles and the guards, accustomed to the emperor’s whims, did not panic and prepared the camp. Some nobles went to their villas or other nobles’ mansions with the permission of Deltinus.

The campsite was quieter than Lake Nice.

Yulif was watching Deltinus’ tent while Roana gave a bizarre performance of spitting back out what she had put in, and Canaren clapped.

As soon as the camp was set up, unfamiliar knights came and went in and out of Deltinus’ tent. Occasionally, knights belonging to the SS were also mixed, but most were knights dispatched to the northern part of the empire.

“It would be better to seek medical attention first. How could you report to His Majesty with such a body! Even if His Majesty is angry… … .”

“This is not the time to be arguing for good things. We must send reinforcements as soon as possible! You agreed with me and brought me here.”

A man who looked like a wizard and a young knight had an argument. The condition of the knight was bad even at a glance. His head was bandaged, and he limped every time he walked, probably from an injured leg.

Yulif narrowed his eyes.

“Who told you not to report? It’s okay to get some treatment at least. Surely His Majesty will take responsibility for the defeat and take his anger out. If you are beaten like this, you will die!”

“In Cologne, my colleagues are still dying!”

Cologne. It was a name familiar to Yulif.

Frozen land in a blizzard. A place where barbarians who control monsters with forbidden magic live.

The place where he first opened his eyes after returning.

He thought it was time to wrap up, so he immediately returned to the Imperial Palace, but there must have been a remnant of where he hid himself.

Even if he had known that, his decision would not have changed. He didn’t even have to think about whether it was more important to subdue the barbarians or save Canaren.

The knight shook off the dissuading wizard and went inside Deltinus’ tent. The wizard hastily followed the knight.

Yulif watched the situation quietly.

He thought the angry Deltinus was going to be screaming at the report, but strangely, there was no loud noise. There was no such thing as a scream of a knight who could not overcome the pain.

Deltinus hated protests, but he hated orders not being carried out even more. It was almost impossible for him to calmly listen to the reports of the knights who had been defeated and had come to ask for reinforcements.

An ominous silence continued for a long time. Yulif’s eyes shone coolly in the darkness.

He had a vague sense of what Deltinus and Count Enderk were scheming.

*******

It took less than 3 hours from the campsite to the Imperial Palace.

From the moment he passed through the gate to the capital city of Sicena, Canaren had difficulty breathing.

Roana was startled as she tried to rub her hand. It was so cold that her blood didn’t flow.

“Are you having a hard time? Shall I bring the lord?”

“No. Keep it a secret, please.”

It hurted more to see Yulif. She hated finding herself in a mass of contradictions when she faced him, as all kinds of emotions rushed over her.

Canaren leaned against the wall of the carriage and closed her eyes.

When they arrived at the Imperial Palace, the carriage stopped.

Canaren was supported by Roana and dismounted from the carriage. Her legs were shaking and it was difficult to pretend that she was okay.

*******

Seeing her pale complexion, Yulif tried to approach her.

“It must have been difficult because you have never gone on such a long journey.”

Deltinus intervened between Canaren and Yulif. The smell of blood rushed from his body. It was a smell that vividly recalled the cruel actions he had shown throughout the hunt.

Canaren raised her hand and covered her nose and her mouth. It was a reflex action, but the nobles were surprised or kicked at the rude behavior.

Deltinus closed his eyes and smiled.

“The position of an emperor is a position that receives displeasure and hatred. I am used to being hated. Your reaction doesn’t seem to hate me. It seems close to hate, but it’s just a difference between hate and dislike.”

There was an unexplainable joy in his light tone.

Canaren’s instincts warned: Look out. Don’t let yourself relax.

After Deltinus showed his good mood like this, something bad had to happen to her.

Deltinus reached out to reach Canaren. He did not touch Canaren with her hands, but painted her body from a distance. Every time he moved his arm, his muscles moved with it. It was bizarre to see the wriggling blue snake embedded in his right hand.

What a pity. He had grown attached to it.

He stared at the blue snake for a moment, then turned to face Yulif.

“Come on, let’s prepare for the end. My dear brother.”

*******

“Would you like to attend the clothes market?”

“Leave.”

“Call me anytime if you need anything.”

The servant who guided him to the room quietly left.

Yulif looked around the room. Overflowing in the Imperial Palace, it was a guest room with nothing special. It didn’t seem like there was a magic trick.

A long box was placed on the table. When he opened the lid, there was a robe in a combination of black and red.

Perhaps Deltinus would wear the same clothes and stand in front of Canaren.

‘We just have to wear the same clothes and wait for her to choose.’

It had only been two weeks since he accepted the bet, but it felt like a distant past.

Two weeks. There may have been a lot of things going on in the short time, but Yulif often forgot that he even made a bet with Deltinus.

This bet meant nothing to him. Whatever the outcome, he wouldn’t give up on Canaren, and he was ready to do anything to get her into his hands.

Deltinus wouldn’t be much different either.

‘There is no difference between the duke and the emperor.’

Canaren told him that he was a worse human being than Deltinus. That was also correct. Only the direction of bitterness was different. Yulif admitted meekly.

His own actions, from one to ten, could not be said to be for Canaren. One out of ten, no, two out of ten was for himself.

He made that choice because he couldn’t contain the lust for monopoly that was raging inside him, and he couldn’t deal with his twisted affections.

Even though he knew that Canaren would suffer because of his choice.

His subconsciousness of wanting her continued to show his affection for her, and he wanted to be reciprocated.

He was a damn selfish human being, even though he couldn’t protect the most precious thing.

‘Canaren distinguishes me from the emperor.’

Even if he made himself look identical, spoke in a very similar voice, and imitated his words and deeds, there was no chance that Canaren would not be able to tell the two apart.

But finding out who is who and making a choice were two different things.

‘Can we even call this a ‘choice’ in the first place?’

It’s not a choice. ‘You put me in your entertainment.’ The words that Canaren might say returned to his ears.

Yulif’s eyes darkened.

Nevertheless, Yulif hoped that Canaren would choose him. Even though there would be no affection or emotion in today’s choice.

He wanted to be remembered as a better person, even though he was the same bad guy to her. He was really strange and selfish, even to his own thoughts.

He was the one who should be removed from Canaren’s life anyway. Even if he was remembered as a better person, he was not. Even though he’s going to inflict countless wounds on her in the future in order to become so.

‘I’d rather not love you.’

Yulif forcibly cut off his idle thoughts. This was not the time for him to tremble alone as the protagonist of a tragedy.

It was the moment he changed clothes and finished the magic check. A small magical energy moved outside the door and then disappeared.

Yulif adjusted his appearance and opened the door.

The servant was lying in front of the door, and behind it stood a woman whose face was meticulously covered.

“I was waiting. Come in.”

The woman entered her room at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. There was not even a small noise from the polite footsteps. As the door closed, she took off the veil that covered her face.

“I did what the Duke told me, but I won’t stay long.”

“May you tell me the business right away, Your Majesty?”

The empress, Estella, nodded her head.