CH 3

******

Yulif took Canaren into an empty room and laid her down on the bed. A particularly loud sound was made when the door was locked.

Yulif’s shadow fell over Canaren.

“Stay still.” 

He told her firmly.

Her lemon-colored hair was scattered like sunlight on the bed. Yulif, who got on top of Canaren, grabbed her wrist gently and pressed her down onto the bed.

Her long sleeves were pulled away, revealing her pale skin. Her wide eyes gleamed in the eyes of Yulif who looked down at her.

“Wah, sh…!”

“Be quiet.”

Caught by him, Canaren shook her head and tried to get away, but it was useless.

Yulif simply ignored the pleading sounds.

He flipped her on her stomach and then brushed her long hair to the side. His long fingers unbuttoning her back were careful and slow.

Cararen laid down on her stomach, burying her face deep into the pillow. When Yulif grabbed her wrist, she didn’t feel any pain, but for some reason, strength drained from her body.

In the end, wasn’t this man similar to the emperor? Though he didn’t look like a bad person. What was the purpose of being saved at the banquet hall? Was it his intention to relieve her vigilance?

Resentment towards Yulif and a sense of shame towards herself who was once again deceived by humans tormented Canaren. What she hated more than anything else was that she couldn’t do anything, she could only remain helpless.

“Canaren.”

Above her head, the soft voice of Yulif resounded. At the same time, his warm fingers touched her back. A sharp pain ran through her skin.

Canaren couldn’t stand it and groaned briefly, gripping the bed sheet. Her body was trembling.

There were long, slender, straight wounds covering Canaren’s back. The red marks did not disappear as if it had not been long since it had formed. The scars were seen more clearly as her skin was as white as snow.

Those weren’t the only ones. There were other bruises that remained faintly on her arms and down the nape of her neck. 

That was why Yulif looked carefully at the nape of her neck.

Her back, which was completely covered by her clothes and hair, bore whipped marks, and her arms, which people might be able to see, had only relatively light scars.

Yulif was able to grasp the situation without asking Canaren.

She was the same as before his return.

“Did you receive treatment?”

Canaren slowly nodded her head.

She must have been treated and fed in a hurry in order to be quickly brought out to the banquet for display and entertainment. She had been abused and had lost her stamina, with a body that couldn’t even walk properly, it was no wonder she couldn’t sing.

Deltinus was especially cruel to the weak. As if he was venting his anger. She wouldn’t be able to restore her self-esteem or pride under his constant abuse. 

Canaren was the best prey for such Deltinus. A beautiful and weak being that aroused his desire to collect. A being who could be wielded at will and could satisfy his desires.

Yulif gritted his teeth. He raged at his own inability to save Canaren from such a man named Deltinus in the past.

Yulif closed his eyes and then opened them. His eyes, which had been burning with a flash of fury, soon returned to their original indifferent light. He moved his hand as if to gently stroke Canaren’s back.

“Ahh….”

A thin voice escaped from Canaren’s mouth. She felt a sensation other than pain. She quickly bit her lip. Her back was itchy and hot. It was much easier to bear compared to the pain of the whip, but she wondered what Yulif was doing to her body.

She slowly looked back at Yulif. Their eyes met. When viewed up close, Canaren realized his eyes contained beautiful color that shone transparently, like an amethyst that received light.

Canaren could not see it, but he was performing a small miracle, her wounds disappeared without a trace wherever his hand passed.

Each time a scar left by Deltinus’ whip disappeared, the wrinkles on Yulif’s forehead slightly smoothed out. Just like how the scars disappeared, it was time for the misaligned and wrong things to shift. He had come here for that.

At last, all the scars covering her back disappeared, and only white flesh appeared in his view, as if she had never shed blood. It was a clean treatment that did not leave even a small scar. However, Yulif did not move away. He didn’t know if there might be a wound that he didn’t find, and even if it looked all better on the outside, the inside might not have healed yet. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in his abilities. It was just because it was Canaren. Because it’s her, he didn’t want to pass or miss even the smallest things.

“Does it hurt anymore?”

Canaren shook her head. A small sigh of relief escaped from Yulif’s mouth. Then his hand, which had been a little farther away, touched her back.

“…Ah“

Starting with her neck, Yulif went down, stroking Canaren’s back. A soft light shone from his hand, seeping into her skin. It was a very slow but attentive touch.

Canaren bit her lips every time his finger touched her. Maybe it was because her aching pain had completely disappeared. The tickling and strange sensation became stronger than before. ‘This is a treatment. It is not weird.’ Even though she thought so, she couldn’t help the groan that leaked out.

A finger rested near the lower back area. The tingling sensation that spreaded was an unfamiliar one. The unfamiliar stimulation made the tips of her toes curl instinctively. Canaren buried her face deep into the pillow.

“Ah.”

It was embarrassing and shameful. She was fine with Yulif. Because he was taking the time to do her a favor, but it seemed strange that she was the only one reacting. Once she started to become self-aware of the sensation, she was constantly concerned, and when she was nervous, her senses became more sensitive, creating a vicious cycle. Her ears and the nape of her neck were suddenly burning bright red.

In the meantime, Yulif’s hand steadily descended and reached her waist. Canaren crossed her legs whenever his fingers brushed her pelvis and sides. Shewanted to cover her ears in shame at the sound of her dress rustling.

“It won’t hurt anymore.”

The long and lengthy treatment was over. Her embarrassment and shame were blown away at the sound of his soft voice announcing that the treatment was over.

Yulif grabbed Canaren’s wrist and lifted her up, removing the bruise from her arm.

It felt like the darkness that had fallen over the chest of Yulif and Canaren were lifted as well. As he said, the throbbing pain disappeared as if washed away. Not only that, but vitality returned to her heavy, sagging body.

Canaren was convinced that Yulif would not harm her. She realized from the beginning that he wasn’t trying to covet her body, but to check her wounds.

He had the same face as Deltinus, but the soul contained within was completely different. Her memories from their meeting by the lake rekindled her thoughts.

She recalled the first time she was in the Imperial Palace. If it was Yulif, wouldn’t it be okay to ask for help?

The village elders and her mother told her not to trust people too easily. There were not only good people in the world, so she should always be watchful and be careful.

But it was much easier for her to believe than it was for her to not trust anyone. And the man in front of her looked very trustworthy.

In fact, from the moment Yulif appeared and stopped the whip, her heart skipped a beat.

Canaren asked him with twinkling eyes. 

“How did you heal the wounds?” 

Did he understand her question? Yulif smiled faintly. When he smiled, his blunt expression softened and his face looked very caring. It was quite different from how he behaved in the banquet hall – overly formal and stiff. Of course, she couldn’t even compare Yulif’s behavior to the ferocious Deltinus.

But his smile quickly disappeared.

“Are you curious?”

Her head moved up and down vigorously. Oh, was that too frivolous? Canaren shrank her neck back as she recalled the words the maids around had murmured behind her. They said that Canaren was frivolous and lacked dignity, so she didn’t fit into the Imperial Palace.

‘They wondered if I was a savage living in the woods.’

The dagger that someone pierced deeply and she could hardly pull it out.

“I turned back time. Before you were hurt.”

Canaren was really surprised.

Was he able to control time freely? She heard that some could do such a thing. Was this man not human? She was told that he transcended humans… 

A short, small chuckle pierced Canaren’s ear, and she forgot how surprised she was. It was Yulif’s voice. However, Yulif wore a blunt face as if he had ever smiled.

“It is a simple healing magic.”

“Oh…”

Her pointy ears drooped down. There was a hint of disappointment as the corners of her eyes went down as well.

Yulif stroked her hair with the other hand that was not caught by her. Canaren’s ears perked up and rose slightly. She liked having someone pat her hair, and Yulif’s hands were large and warm, making her feel cozy and comfortable. Like, for a moment, it was as if she had returned back to her village… 

“Take this.”

Yulif took something out of his clothing and handed it to her. Canaren opened her hands and looked at the object he placed there.

It was a black pocket watch. There didn’t seem to be anything special about it, except that the needle didn’t move at 12 o’clock.

Canaren examined the watch from the back and front, switching to and fro before she looked at Yulif again. Yulif folded her fingers over the watch.

“I will always be by your side, but emergencies may arise. Show this to anyone. No one will treat you carelessly. And wait for me.”

As soon as she heard Yulif’s words, Canaren thought of Deltinus. Because it was Deltinus who treated her the most cruelly.

But would this ordinary watch work on the vicious emperor?

“No matter when or where you are, I will come”

Yulif’s assertive eyes were very serious. Canaren glanced at her pocket watch and then at Yulif’s face, then tilted her head.

The question she wanted to ask from the banquet hall turned into doubt.

Her total interaction, or as one could say, ‘relationship’ with Yulif was just a few words of a single conversation at the lake behind his detached house. That was all. Yet here he was, he used his magic in front of the emperor to save her and even healed her wounds.

Up to this point, she could have thought of it as his responsibility as a lord or compassion. He might have felt pity for her as he saw one of his young villagers becoming a spectacle in front of people.

But the statement that he would come anytime, anywhere sounded so serious that it sounded like an oath.

“Do not doubt, use me. Because I am always on your side.”

The exact reason was unknown, but at least he doesn’t have a lying face.

Even if Yulif’s words were false, her situation could not have turned worse than it was now. If so, it was right to choose the one that had the slightest possibility.

Canaren gripped Yulif’s pocket watch dearly. It was the first thing she had been given since she had been brought into the Imperial Palace.

Once again Yulif stroked her hair gently, grabbing her as she tried to stand up and sat her down.

“Are you going to leave like this?”

Yulif pointed to her exposed back. Canaren’s face and neck, which had been pale, were dyed bright red in an instant.

Despite her struggling, Yulif held onto her quite skillfully. He carefully re-buttoned each button he had loosened. Trying to ignore the feeling of Canaren’s hot skin gently winding around the tip of his finger.