CH 116

*******

Why did he say it might take a long time?

Was it said that words become seeds? Yulif wanted to do something about his mouth, which had ran arbitrarily a few hours ago. But, far from doing that, he had no choice but to heal the corner of his mouth that had been beaten by Roana. It didn’t hurt. All that was on his mind was that Canaren cared.

The nobles did not let Yulif go. For days they ran like hungry stray dogs, putting up all kinds of things, asking questions and requesting opinions. From big things such as coronations and disposing of the emperor, to how to repair the Imperial Palace damaged by this rebellion or replenishing wizards… to other small things.

Tired of the endless influx of questions, Yulif glanced at Duke Theodore. The duke, who was having a leisurely drink of tea, smiled calmly when their eyes met.

“I will abide by the decision of Duke Rubius. It would be nice for the Duke to take charge and clean this up.”

It meant that he would have to suffer far and wide by himself, at least until Lucian ascended the throne. Duke Theodore’s words were not meant to evade responsibility. It was Yulif who gathered the army and started the rebellion, so he had to prove that he would not be a threat to the newly established emperor. Yulif let out a deep sigh.

The meeting, which started around the time the sun was setting in the dark sky, continued until the stars appeared in the night sky. Yulif’s patience did not end there. The Imperial Palace was a place that left only bad memories for Canaren. It was hard to bear even imagining Canaren being left alone in an unfamiliar room. There was no reason for that.

What was the reason for doing this in the first place? Wasn’t he supposed to make Canaren happy? Using the life she had saved, she extended his own, and the rest of his time he would spend with her. When Yulif got up from his seat without saying a word, the bewildered nobles rose to their feet.

“It would be better to disband for today. I’ve been nervous since morning, and I’m tired.”

In the eyes of the nobles, Yulif looked healthier and more energetic than anyone in the conference room, but no one uttered so. The gentle voice of Duke Theodore flew over Yulif as he made plans to discuss the undecided things again tomorrow morning.

“What will the knights do? Aren’t the numbers too many to keep stationed in the Imperial Palace?”

Nobles, especially those who mobilized a large number of knights, gazed at Yulif. He subdued the Imperial Guard, occupied the Imperial Palace, and even captured and imprisoned the emperor, so there was no justification for an army to be stationed in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, since Yulif, who was nothing more than a legion in existence, was still alive and well, if he ordered them to disperse to their territories right away, he had to obey the order.

However, it was also true that the nobles who wanted to influence the chaotic situation did not intend to cut down the military in haste. Thinking so, Yulif nodded and said,

“I see. I will send them back to their respective territories.”

Yulif’s words were strange. It was not an order to send them back, ‘I’ll send them back’. But before they could ask what he meant, Yulif lightly tapped with his foot. Some nobles who knew how to use magic shouted with pale faces.

“Duke Rubius, if you send them without consulting…!”

“I decided that a consultation was not necessary. Since the great rebellion was successful, the knights should be sent away. Or do you have other thoughts?”

The cold voice pierced like a dagger. It was an atmosphere that could drive someone into trying to start a civil rebellion. The count who spoke up bit his mouth tightly. In the meantime, the large-scale space movement magic cast by Yulif moved the knights to the magic circle where they had gathered before the event.

Imperial Palace. The earth shook like a weak earthquake, then stopped. It was a phenomenon that appeared when powerful magical powers moved all at once. Yulif, who had done a great job, had an innocent face. It was an expression that even looked annoying because it was not dry.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“The urgent fire has been put out, so let’s stop at this point. You seem busy, you can leave this place to me.”

“Fine.”

Yulif disappeared as it was. He didn’t even have spare time to walk, so he moved with magic. Count Salide, who was staring blankly at the empty seat of Yulif, whispered to Duke Theodore.

“Do you know where he is going in such a hurry? Is he going to the emperor?”

“It’s a good time. A good time. Isn’t that right?”

“…What?”

Count Sailde’s face was strangely distorted at the words that came out of nowhere. Duke Theodore chuckled and patted him on the shoulder.

“Let’s prepare well for tomorrow’s meeting. It might be the last day we’ll see Duke Rubius.”

*******

Canaren had a dream. It was a dream of her childhood.

Little Canaren looked at the boy and she smiled. He was a boy who had appeared several times in her dreams, whose face was veiled in a shadow, and who could not be identified. However, today, the thick shadow was cleared away. Canaren finally discovered the identity of the boy.

The boy was Yulif. He must have been around 10-years-old. His face was quite young, but his arms and legs were long and his posture was straight, making him look a little old-fashioned, making it difficult to determine his age. That’s cool, though. Cute, even. Canaren laughed softly.

The little girl’s smiling face, to the point the tip of her nose scrunched up, was as bright as a mischievous kid who found a toy. With a smile that warmed the hearts of those who saw it, the boy also smiled kindly.

‘Ah. You’ve been this cool since you were little.’ Even looking at the distantly young Yulif, her heart was pounding.

Indeed, the young Canaren who was possessed by that smile, and her eyes widened.

“You just laughed. You laughed!”

“Maybe… Is this the first time you see me smiling?”

“I saw it for the first time! You’ve always been like this.”

Canaren stretched the corners of her eyes to the side with her short fingers. Even though she made a weird face, he didn’t hate it. So Yulif laughed out loud. It was the first time.

“Great.”

“What?”

“It’s good because Yup is smiling. Keep smiling.”

“If I keep smiling, I’ll look stupid. No.”

“No! I think Yup is more stupid to not smile in the first place. You don’t know? So smile! Hmm? Yes?”

Canaren stomped with her short, chubby legs. Yulif’s eyes, looking at her, were sweetly curved. But after a while, Yulif hardened his expression. It seemed like it was done on purpose. It was then that Canaren, who had inflated her cheeks in dissatisfaction, rushed to Yulif. Yulif opened his arms to catch Canaren. Two little children tangled and rolled on the grass.

“It’s dangerous to rush in like that all of a sudden! You should never do that again… Wait, wait. Don’t!”

“Smile. You idiot!”

Canaren hit and tickled Yulif under her. A chuckle mixed with laughter erupted from Yulif’s mouth at the sight of a ferocious smile. When Yulif smiled, Canaren also squealed and laughed.

The two children chatted for a while on the grass, eventually getting tired. As Canaren tried to lie down on the grass, Yulif patted his leg.

“Lay here.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll get dirt in your hair…?”

“Why? Canaren likes grass?”

“…So what about soil? Do you like soil?”

“Yes! Canaren likes dirt.”

Yulif raised his eyebrows as if he was troubled. Canaren blinked, looked at the silent Yulif, and then fell flat on his legs. Yulif stiffened and looked down at the child. Canaren groaned, and she reached her hand out to Yulif.

“But I like you the best. So I’ll do what Yup said!”

*******

“Oh…”

It was a shame. She wanted to hear what Yulif had to say. If she fell asleep again, would she be able to sleep again later?

A purple glimmer appeared between the eyelids that were about to close again. And her eyes opened spontaneously. With his back against the window, where the white moon had risen, Yulif was looking at her.

Yulif of reality, not a dream. Not a child, but an adult Yulif with a dark inside. He wrapped an arm around Canaren and held her in his arms. When their eyes met, his cool eyes closed affectionately.

“Sleep more. It’s still night.”

“When did you come? Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“It’s been a while. I didn’t want to wake you up because it was hard earlier.”

“What about now?”

Canaren dug into Yulif as if to provoke and grumble. She willingly let him go, but he wrapped his arms around her back and pressed her to him and hugged even more deeply. His thick body scent engulfed her. ‘A good smell.’ Canaren mumbled, completely buried in him.

“I had a dream.”

“What dream?”

It was surprising that he could easily understand even though her pronunciation was crushed. It meant that he was paying close attention to her words. She fell in love with him again. Canaren rubbed her face and said,

“It was a dream of my childhood. It’s more like a memory than a dream… Yulif, we must have known each other even when we were young. Did you know?”

“You remember?”

“I don’t remember them all. Sometimes I only see you in my dreams. But… even though you know, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I once told you why I can’t swim.”

The conversation was heading in the wrong direction. Canaren blinked her eyes and nodded her head. She had never forgotten that. It was a terrifying story about how the emperor plunged him into a lake when he was young and made him unable to swim.

Thinking back, it was amazing. He said the emperor even put shackles on his feet. How scared he must have been when he was sinking into the cold lake. She choked up as she imagined the scene of the young Yulif in her dream, immersed in the water and dying.

Canaren hugged Yulif tightly. Yulif lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

“It’s okay now.”

“Nevertheless. It’s a terrible memory.”

“It wasn’t terrible. Because you saved me.”

“I did…?”

Ame: Next episode will be “fun” *smirks*