CH 95

Canaren was lying on the bed with a blanket covering her all the way to the tip of her head. Roana, who had been speaking to her in a voice full of worries and concerns, was quiet and still as if she was exhausted.

When she came down to the ground with Muasa’s help, Roana and Derek were already waiting for Canaren with thousands of people.

Roana, who had been crying for her, had a terrifying expression when she confirmed that Canaren was safe. Canaren was scared by Roana’s fearsome look, which she had not made even when fighting monsters in the North. As Canaren whispered to Roana, her voice trembled.

“Get me out of the castle, Roana…”

“It’s not possible. His Lordship will return soon. Until then, I will be by your side, Canaren.”

Roana flatly refused. Canaren thought that if it was Roana, she would do anything she asked of her. It was a shock to Canaren. Her cold, stiff demeanor was so foreign that she didn’t dare to speak to Roana again.

Roana had people wrap Canaren with several layers and then cross her arms. She was suffocated by the strong sense of tightness.

After being dragged into the room like a prisoner, Roana slowly released her expression. Less than ten minutes after she entered the room, she began to pour out her worries. Are you okay? Why did you do that? What are you doing? I won’t tell the lord, so just tell me. Canaren, are you ill?

Canaren could hardly open her heart nor her belated worries to Roana. Roana wouldn’t listen to her requests anyway. Roana and Derek didn’t care about her. They’re guarding her under Yulif’s orders to keep her from leaving the castle.

It was nothing to be sad about. The people in the castle were Yulif’s people, not hers. No matter how kind and gentle they treated her, it was natural to stand by Yulif’s side at the decisive moment.

‘Did Roana know that Yulif had a barrier?’

It was pointless to think about. But Canaren was naturally looking back on her first day of flight. She definitely had a strange feeling, and she asked Roana if she could feel anything. She replied that there was no problem.

She didn’t seem to be lying… 

‘What’s the use of talking about it now?’

Even Yulif, the most reliable person in her world, betrayed her. There was no reason not to be deceived by Roana and Derek. Canaren curled her body into the blanket and covered her ears with her hands.

There was only one person she could trust in this castle right now.

“You can’t go in…!”

「Don’t disturb me, get out of the way. Canaren! Are you inside?」

The sound of the door slamming open was deafening. There was a small commotion along with the rough footsteps of several people.

Muasa must have come. Canaren rolled down the blanket. As expected, Muasa was seen arguing with the knights at the door. Roana, at the bedside, glanced at Canaren and stopped the knights.

“Everyone, stop and go. He is a friend of Madam Canaren.”

As if waiting for the knights to leave, Muasa strode towards the bed. However, Derek and Roana intervened and blocked his way.

“It will be difficult to approach beyond this.”

“What about the work our Lord has entrusted you to do?”

“It has nothing to do with you.”

「Muasa…」

Canaren gave Muasa a desperate look. ‘Please take me out of here’  Canaren knew best that there was nothing Muasa could do. Even so. If she didn’t cling to Muasa, Canaren would have gone crazy. She didn’t want to stay in the room like this and wait for Yulif to return.

When Yulif comes back, she really would not be able to get out of this room, not even a single step. And she would die alone for the rest of her life. Like a doll displayed in a decorative cabinet. Or like a toy.

「Don’t be surprised, listen. These people can’t understand the Hwira language. I found a way out of the castle.」

Muasa said in a blunt tone, as if trying to keep his composure as much as possible. Canaren was startled, and she completely closed her eyes as they were about to open. Muasa’s words continued.

「You have to leave the room first. Then leave it to me.」

“Madam Canaren, what is he saying?”

「…Okay. Muasa, close your ears.」

Having good senses, Roana seemed to have a foreboding of something ominous. Ignoring Roana who asked her sternly, Canaren opened her eyes. Muasa covered his ears and nodded his head.

Canaren parted her lips, dry and cracked like her heart. A voice with a fine tone flowed through the melody. Her song, which began to fill the room, was as soft and gentle as a mother’s hand when shaking a cradle.

Roana and Derek couldn’t understand the lyrics, but thanks to the mellow melody, it wasn’t hard to guess that the song was a lullaby.

Canaren said she often hummed this song, but she never sang so seriously before. She was reluctant to sing unless it was absolutely necessary because Deltinus’ abuse and coercion left her with great scars.

This was the first time Roana and Derek heard the song of the Hwira tribe, and they were ecstatic. Canaren, who sang, was very beautiful, but at the same time she looked very sad. Power gradually drained from Roana and Derek’s bodies. Their eyes darkened.

Roana tried to straighten her staggering body, but her eyelids only grew heavier. Derek fell to the floor first, and Roana sat down next to him.

“Ca-naren… ren…”

“I’m sorry, Roana. it’s just a lullaby. There is no after effect. Don’t worry.”

“…It’s not possible… Outside the castle, when you go out, the lord…”

“I was wrong. I thought that if I treated him with sincerity, Yulif would one day treat me with sincerity. Turns out… It was just a vain hope.”

Canaren laughed weakly. It was a smile that only one who had put everything down and resigned could make it. She placed her hand on her chest and pressed it gently. The pain was unbearable, as her heart was pumping needles.

Hah. Canaren exhaled her pained breath, bent her knee and took Roana’s hand.

“Thank you for everything. It was really fun thanks to Roana and Derek. Stay healthy.”

“카나렌…… 님……!”

“Canaren… Madam…!”

「Hush, my good angel. Even in sweet dreams, Mom will hold you. Close your eyes in peace.」

Canaren sang the last verse of the lullaby. Finally, Roana fell asleep. Meanwhile, even outside the door Muasa had opened, the knights were falling asleep one by one.

「Let’s go.」

The two went out to the balcony and spread their wings. After soaring high in the blink of an eye, Muasa took the lead, followed by Canaren.

As they approached the north gate of the castle, they saw knights and wizards standing on the border. Muasa and Canaren got down to the most sparsely populated place, blocked by a wall. If only the barrier was lifted, the wall would not be a hindrance to the two winged people.

「Now what? People will come soon…」

「Don’t worry. They said we can rip this apart.」

Muasa pulled the scroll out. Canaren tilted her head slightly.

It superficially looked like plain parchment. Could that really get rid of the barrier that Yulif made? It was a barrier that Roana did not even notice.

‘Muasa doesn’t know how to use magic. Where did he get it?’

At the sudden thought, she paused. She was excited that she could finally get out of the castle, but her heart calmed down.

「Where did you get that? Isn’t it expensive?」

「Is it expensive? Then why did that old man give it to me for free?」

「He just gave it to you? At no cost?」

Muasa nodded. Canaren was reminded of Roana’s saying that magic tools imbued with magic were so expensive that most people couldn’t even buy them and use them.

Even with simple tools, there was no way for a wizard to give an item strong enough to break the barrier for free.

Canaren narrowed her eyes, stared at the scroll, and then grabbed Muasa’s arm.

「Something is strange. I don’t think it should be used.」

「Why can’t we use this? Is there any other way out of the castle?」

「It’s not that…」

「I don’t know when that person will come back. We have to go out when he’s not there. You said you wanted to get out at any cost. So do I. I will take you out by all means.」

Canaren bit her lip. When Yulif returned, Muasa would be in danger. Yulif would probably not forgive Muasa this time.

Muasa relentlessly ripped the scroll apart as Canaren’s hand fell off from his arm. A red light flashed from the torn scroll and rose high. It began to crack like glass breaking in the air above the castle wall where the light hit it, and a hole was created that a person could pass through.

Canaren looked at the hole with a blank stare, as if she couldn’t believe it. The barrier really did exist.

「Let’s hurry. I will go first.」

「Oh… Yes.」

Muasa went through the hole first. After Canaren passed through, the hole could not stand any longer and closed.

The ducal castle viewed from beyond the fortress wall looked even more gloomy, perhaps because it was covered with blue-and-white bricks. When she first saw it, the castle looked very neat and nice, but thinking that the barrier was put in place to lock her in, it felt like a huge prison.

It was the moment Canaren turned her head away, rubbing goosebumps off her arm.

「Canaren, avoid it!」

「Huh…?」

Not just one large net, but five, flew out at Canaren. She flapped her wings as hard as she could, barely avoiding the net. At the same time, Muasa’s screams were heard from beneath her feet.

「What… What is this!?」

“This, this, was easy. It was easy, too easy.”

Her heart was pounding at the sound of that terrifying laugh. The man with the sword in Muasa’s wings looked up. He smiled as Canaren met his eyes.

“My bird still does not know how to doubt people. It’s also naive.”

「Run away! I’m fine, so go on…!」

“I don’t know what you guys are saying, but it’s obvious what to say in a situation like this. ‘Leave me and run away’, that’s what he’s saying. Yes?”

Deltinus drew the sword from Muasa’s wings. Red blood gushed out. Canaren was frozen and couldn’t move. At that moment, Muasa locked Deltinus’ legs with both hands.

「What are you doing! Run away!」

“There are a lot of people who care about me. How dare you put your hand on me?”

The swords of Deltinus rushed towards Muasa’s neck.

No! Canaren flew to him at her full speed. Even if she bumped into his body, she was going to deflect his sword. She couldn’t let Muasa die.

Suddenly, strong, wide, warm arms rushed to her and caught her.

“…Canaren.”

A heavy and cold voice.

It was Yulif.