CH 51

Unlike Roana, who gasped, Canaren didn’t mind. She was almost flying. It was a moment when her trained physical strength while shooting through the forest from morning to night shined.

They had just turned around the left-hand corner. As Roana and Canaren stopped almost at the same time, the ceiling and floor collapsed at once. It was by a hair’s breath that they weren’t swept away. Before they could feel relieved that they were alive, an unfamiliar voice rang out from behind the two of them.

“The rats were hiding in this place.”

The barbarians grinned. There were only five of them, but the horned monster rioting behind them was an unstoppable disaster.

“Hang on to me!”

“What? Huh??”

Roana hugged Canaren’s waist tightly. Suddenly, the wound on her left arm had healed.

Canaren spread the wings that she had hidden and flew up. Swoosh! Hanging wildly, Roana screamed, and Canaren clasped her tightly with her arms.

“That is no ordinary rat! Shoot! Shoot her wings and make them fall!”

The arrows flew mercilessly. Roana cut or deflected the arrows with her magic.

Canaren bit her lips until it bled and moved her wings. The weight of Roana was heavy, but she couldn’t abandon her. She wasn’t even able to fly at all.

‘If I wait a little bit. A little more effort…!’

“Ah, ugh!”

However, the breath the monster blew was too fast and powerful. Her right wing hurt, like it was burning from the breath that had rubbed against it.

The balance was disturbed, and Canaren and Roana fell. Shortly before she crashed into the ground, Roana managed to cast a spell.

“Canaren! Are you okay elsewhere? How hurt… Guh!”

One of the barbarians struck Roana on the back of the neck as she stood up and stunned her. Another barbarian tied Roana with ropes.

Canaren glared at the man as he approached. It was a clear gaze that did not waver at all, despite the pain and cold sweat dripping down.

“Let Roana go!”

“All right, if you listen to me, I’ll save her.”

He grabbed Canaren’s chin and turned her left and right. It was as if he was checking something. It was likely that her neck would break if she resisted his unconcerned strong force. Canaren deliberately restrained her powers. Her head shook relentlessly.

After a while, shocking words escaped the man’s mouth.

“Our God has helped me. He let me meet a bird that avoids death in such a place.”

“A bird that avoids death? What’s with that grand nickname…?”

It happened in an instant. Except for the man in front of Canaren, the other barbarians were killed. They, who had just been alive, fell to the floor helplessly and did not move again.

The man who had killed his fellow kind grinned as though it was good.

“Why…?”

“If they know about you, there will be a fight, so I took out all the players. The legend of the Hwira tribe, one with golden hair, golden eyes, and four wings.”

Canaren’s face darkened calmly. This man knew the legend exactly.

The secret that her mother wanted her to hide for the rest of her life. The reason she didn’t let her out of their town. The power that was able to heal Yulif and Roana.

Roana, who had lost her consciousness and fell, Canaren’s gaze rested on her for a moment. Rather, it was a good thing.

“That’s right.”

Canaren looked straight into the man’s eyes and said. Her expressionless face was as cold as ever.

“If I use my powers, anyone can have a body that never grows old and never dies.”

An indescribable joy spread across the man’s face. On the other hand, Canaren grew colder and stiffer.

Her mother said she should never let her powers be caught. If her abilities were made known, countless humans would rush to kill her in order to become immortal.

Since the expression on her mother’s face was frightening and sad as she spoke those words, Canaren nodded. But at that time, she didn’t fully understand. A body that did not grow old and did not die was to be exchanged for her life.

Hopefully there weren’t that many people willing to sacrifice others for their own benefit. The naive and pure Canaren thought so.

Then she realized it herself. There were so many selfish people in the world, and there were so many people who didn’t mind trampling on others for the sake of short pleasure.

Canaren vowed. She would never use her powers on someone like that. If the time comes when she needs to use her abilities, she will use them for someone with a kind and warm heart.

In her mind, in an instant, Yulif flashed past. As for why Yulif, Canaren didn’t understand, and she hurriedly erased the thought.

In any case, this man in front of her was never the one she wanted to use her abilities on.

“Yes. Do it fast You are going to make me into a body that will never die with that great power!”

“All right. If you save Roana first, I will do that.”

“Are you trying to make a deal?”

“Yes. I have the power you want, and you can save Roana.”

“Hey, miss. Can I teach you something?”

She felt a terrible pain in her leg. The sword the man was holding, it had cut her calf vertically and deeply. Her calf was cut, and blood was dripping down.

It hurt so much that she couldn’t even scream. Canaren felt as if she had returned to the time when she was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace and suffered from the Emperor.

‘No. Not true. This is not the Imperial Palace. I’m the only one who can save Roana.’

Canaren pulled herself together.

“You live in the woods and don’t know anything about the world at all. Transactions are only possible in a relationship where both parties are on a similar level, not in a one-sided relationship like you and I. Use your powers before I kill you.”

“…No. You can’t kill me. You don’t know how to use my power. Isn’t it?”

That was exactly the point. The man sharpened his teeth. Canaren continued to clench her bloody calf as hard as she could.

“If you want to live forever, release Roana.”

“What if that girl runs away with you like before?”

“You hurt my leg and my wing. You have that monster too. I can’t run away.”

The man hesitated. There was nothing wrong with the words of the Hwira tribe girl, who sat on the floor and was turning white. The reason he killed all his fellow savages was in the judgment that there was nothing to be afraid of as long as there was the monster.

But he had a feeling or a sense of uneasiness of unknown origin. Don’t listen to that woman. Just kill her! Come on, kill it and run away! A belated warning rang in his head.

Immediately after, a feeling of unending pressure weighed on the man.

“Huh?”

The man sighed and bent down. A huge and powerful force seemed to overturn his stomach. The viscera of his whole body groaned and he felt nauseous as he twisted. The man opened his mouth, but he couldn’t even make a sound. An invisible hand gripped his breath.

“Yulif…?”

It was a name that made his spine stiffen.

That demon has already arrived? It couldn’t be. He sent all the remaining personnel and monsters to Cologne to bring that demon wizard out. There was magic among dogs. There were also monsters that maximized drag. It would take a monster to deal with that demon.

But how, how already… 

“Close your eyes.”

“Miss Roana is over there. Roana is….”

“Close your eyes.”

His voice, which was heavily suppressed, was very low. At the sound of a passing voice that scratched the depths of her soul, Canaren’s body trembled and she closed her eyes.

She didn’t hear anything for a while. The sounds that exist in the world were alien silences as if they had all been erased.

Canaren was afraid. What if when she wakes up, she is left alone in a world where there is nothing. She tightened her grip on her calf. It was not easy as her blood-soaked hands kept shivering.

“Canaren.”

His warm and wide arms welcomed her. Ah. Yulif’s scent. Canaren took a deep breath in the scent that brushed the tip of her nose. She strangely felt like she would be fine with anything as she was held by him.

Was it because he’s a great wizard? Was it because he comes to the rescue every time she has a hard time?

Whatever the reason, Canaren liked this. His arms were good. So for the first time she put her arms around his neck and hugged him back. She felt Yulif’s body flinching and stiffening.

“You must be very surprised. Sorry.”

“Monster… Here…?”

“No more. You can open your eyes.”

Canaren slowly opened her eyes. The whole world was dyed white.

Has it snowed recently?

Canaren’s doubts soon turned to astonishment.

It wasn’t snowing, he had turned the area around them into complete ruins. The white things thought to be snow were remnants of things that once existed here. The barbarians, let alone giant monsters, did not even have corpses left. Yulif’s magic must have burned them all white.

“I should have been here.”

Regret and remorse were thickly buried in the small whisper. Canaren shook her head.

“It’s not Yulif’s fault.”

“No. It’s my fault. You’re hurt again because of me.”

She was hurt. Yulif his eyes were distorted. His eyes were full of pain, and Canaren, who was looking at him, thought he was hurt. When she frowned, Yulif thought it was because of the wounds on her legs and wings, and he used magic on them.

The light began to seep in, and the pain slowly but surely began to subside.

“It is a temporary measure. I will treat you properly in my residence in the territory.”

“Thanks. But I don’t see Miss Roana.”

“I sent her to the territory, so don’t worry about it. Your condition is worse.”

“I’m okay.”

Canaren smiled to reassure him. She didn’t get seriously injured thanks to his magic, so she was actually fine.

Yulif looked at her softly and turned his head. His distorted expression showed no sign of unraveling.

‘I’m really fine.’ Canaren wanted to reassure him as he did to her. She wanted him to look at her and think that everything would be okay.

‘Should I sing?’

“Don’t.”

How did he know? Yulif’s words were like a sword. Canaren became noticeably pale. She could see a faint anger from his raised eyebrows.

“Why are you mad?”

“I am not mad at you. You should be mad at me.”

“I said it wasn’t Yulif’s fault.”

“Canaren, you don’t have to do anything.”

His large hand gently pressed her back. Her head became buried in his broad chest.

Canaren’s face turned red from being conscious of that fact.

“Please, don’t get hurt.”

It was not a request or command, it was a plea. At least that was what Canaren heard.

Before she could react, Yulif activated space movement magic.

Canaren closed her eyes as she felt the soft energy surrounding her body. Her eyelids were very heavy.