There is No Key to His Cage - Chapter 21
His lips slowly approached.
His half-lidded eyes were enchantingly beautiful, enough to make one’s heart ache.
His thin, long eyelashes were naturally curled up like a Barbie doll’s.
“Stop, don’t play around.”
Elena quickly turned her head to avoid him.
The lips that lightly touched her cheek felt moist as if he had applied lip balm.
As her face grew hotter, she wanted to run outside right away.
But with his slow-approaching footsteps, there was nowhere to escape.
“I’m serious.”
His damp voice was bewitching like a gumiho that enchants people.
His lips, now buried near her ear, slowly traced her delicate skin.
His finger touched her mouth, gently parting her lower lip and caressing it.
Her whole body felt tingly, as if electric currents were running through it.
“Your breathing is getting rough.”
“Stop it.”
Her eyes, seemingly stirred by something, wavered like a sailboat swaying in the wind.
Elena pushed away the firm arms that had been holding her and broke free from him.
“I’m leaving.”
Her delicate voice trembled slightly like a young lamb.
She must have been flustered.
He curled up one corner of his mouth as he watched her retreating figure.
“The more you’re like this, the more I want to tease you.”
Her cheeks flushed as red as ripe apples as she hastily exited the library, her departure almost like a proclamation.
Feeling hot, Elena fanned herself with both hands and lowered her head deeply, worried that the servants might see.
“Ah… I’m crazy, I’m crazy….”
Elena pressed her reddened cheeks and stamped her feet, seemingly embarrassed.
“You’re crazy, You’re crazy. Elena.”
Elena hit her face lightly with both hands and shook her head vigorously.
Her heart was pounding wildly, and her whole body was filled with heat.
Why did she have to run into that person then, there, of all times!
“Hah….”
He must be playing around every day instead of doing his work.
Why did they meet in the library again when he left in such a hurry earlier!
Elena ran into the mansion, panting, while grabbing her reddened face.
“My life….”
Elena, who had barely made it to her room, lay down on the bed to catch her breath.
The events of the day quickly flashed through her mind.
All she could remember was her face turning red.
Even now, her skin felt warm, so it must still be red.
“Sigh….”
Just as she was sighing deeply, a familiar knock echoed in the room.
Knock knock-
“Come in.”
“Miss!”
The owner of the voice was none other than Jane, with her light brown hair neatly tied up.
She poked her head through the door gap and smiled warmly.
“Jane!”
Elena jumped up from the bed to greet her.
On her white hands was a tray with macarons and a teapot.
“Wow, what’s all this?”
“Strawberry macarons and Silver Tea imported from the Kingdom of Saesthia, Miss.”
Elena followed her to the tea table by the window and sat down.
Then she picked up a macaron and popped it into her mouth in one go.
“It’s so delicious….”
The sweet and sour strawberry flavor in her mouth, along with the strawberry-scented filling.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that macarons were truly the most perfect dessert in this world.
Jane looked at her with a pleased expression as she munched away.
“Eat slowly. But Miss, your face….”
“My face? Ah….”
It seems the heat that hadn’t subsided from her face was still noticeable.
Flustered, Elena covered her face with both hands and lowered her head.
Jane tilted her head as if sensing something strange.
“Did something happen?”
“Ah, no. It’s just that Decarus….”
As she trailed off, remembering the earlier scene, Jane covered her mouth with her hand and smiled.
“You two are still getting along well.”
“Still…?”
At her words, Jane rolled her eyes as if flustered.
“Ah, no. I just meant that you two seem to be getting along well.”
“Getting along? Never! I’ve never gotten along with that person!”
Elena pouted with a sulky expression and stuck out her lower lip.
It wasn’t that she was getting along with him, but rather enduring him one-sidedly.
“I’m just putting up with everything….”
Jane raised the corners of her mouth with a resigned expression.
“I see. Well then, Miss, please rest well. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow.”
Elena kept her gaze on her until she closed the door and left, seeming a bit regretful.
Bang-.
As soon as she left, the empty feeling in her heart was unavoidable.
Elena picked up another macaron while looking at the sunset-lit window.
She intended to fill her gloomy heart with sweet desserts if nothing else.
As she elegantly lifted her teacup and looked out the window, she happened to see Decarus passing through the garden.
“Why is his face so red again….”
Whether it was due to the sunset or the memory of their earlier encounter, his face appeared flushed in the sunlight.
Elena rolled her eyes and bit her lip, lowering her head deeply.
“How annoying….”
***
The sunset cast a red glow on Decarus’s face as he left the library.
If not that, it must have been because he had held her in his arms.
“Why is it so hot?”
He quickened his pace with his head lowered, lest he encounter any servants.
It was the path leading to the garden where his mother was resting.
Walking straight from the library and turning right, one would reach the back entrance of the garden.
He entered through the arched entrance beautifully adorned with roses.
“Elena….”
He remembered what had happened with her in the garden earlier.
Her flustered appearance must have been quite cute, as he smiled with the corners of his mouth turning up.
“Cute indeed.”
At the end of his path stood a tombstone, a silent guardian of his mother’s memory. It was meticulously maintained, suggesting someone’s recent care.
“Mother….”
He closed his eyes and prayed with his hands clasped together.
It was a prayer filled with sorrow and affection for his beloved mother.
“Why….”
His mother had passed away when he was very young.
He must have been about eleven years old.
His healthy mother had died without anyone knowing.
‘It’s all my fault….’
Young Decarus cried every night, feeling guilty for not being able to protect his mother.
He could no longer hear the warm voice that used to read him bedtime stories, or feel the gentle touch that used to close his eyes.
‘Mother, Mother….’
He sank deeper and deeper into despair.
The dark tendrils of guilt slowly consumed his passionate heart.
After that, Decarus began to immerse himself frantically in various training, such as swordsmanship, spearmanship, and archery.
Because he didn’t want to lose his only father as well.
But he too was not in his right mind due to the sorrow of losing his wife.
Every day, he would drink strong alcohol and spend his days in a daze in front of his wife’s grave, neglecting state affairs.
‘Father….’
But on a night when the moon was shining brightly,
His father took his own life.
Right in front of his mother’s portrait.
There were bottles of alcohol strewn about, and cigarette ashes were burnt into the floor.
“Young Decarus’s world crumbled quickly like that.”
“Your Grace, how about pardoning the prisoners in the underground dungeon for the founding day?”
“Your mouth seems to be utterly useless.”
“What…? What do you mean… Ah! Ah!! Your Grace… Aaargh!!!”
Having become a Grand Duke at a young age, he grew up as he pleased.
He didn’t listen to words he didn’t want to hear.
“He-here is the mining rights from Saesthia. Please, just spare my life…!”
And if there was something he wanted, he would do anything to get it.
But he couldn’t fill the deep emptiness in his heart.
The more he gained, the more he felt he was losing.
“Mother… Father….”
Then one day, Decarus learned the truth about his mother’s death.
It was a day when the rain was pouring relentlessly.
On a night when a storm big enough to take everything away was raging.
Entering the underground library, he discovered a diary.
「Imperial Year 408, October 10th.
An oracle has come down.
It says that Veronica’s child will bring about her downfall.
I don’t want to believe it.
I hope this oracle is false.」
「Imperial Year 408, October 15th.
Veronica is acting strange.
She’s been on edge like a madwoman since hearing the oracle.
According to the maid, there was a knife hidden under her pillow.」
「Imperial Year 408, October 19th.
I don’t blame her.
My dear friend Veronica, who has become a proper Empress.
Please lead Estel well.
And my beloved son, Decarus.
If you’re reading this diary, I might no longer be in this world.
But please don’t be angry.
Life is death.
All of this is the natural order of things.
This body was originally God’s.
I’m just returning to His embrace at His call.
So, my son.
Please… please don’t be sad.」
“Mother……”
That day, Decarus’s world fell apart.
He learned who had killed his mother, but he couldn’t do anything.
There was no solid evidence, no witnesses, nothing that could speak for him.
Moreover, the opponent was the Empress.
“Ha… Haha…. Hahaha….”
Decarus cried for the last time.
There was no one to hold the hands of the young boy.
Broken like a malfunctioning doll, he vowed.
“I’ll destroy it all….”
To kill the Empress.
He vowed that day to kill the woman who had taken everything from him.
“Ah, this isn’t the time.”
Decarus, who had been momentarily lost in old memories, quickly came to his senses.
The setting sun that had been sinking had disappeared, and it was now a dark night.
The lamplighter was brightly lighting the street lamps along the road.
“Elena….”
His footsteps were faster than ever before.
He seemed pleased at the thought of going to meet her.
Creak-
Arriving at the room, Decarus carefully opened the door.
He was certain that Elena, who had been very active outdoors today, would be sleeping.
“As expected….”
She was sleeping soundly like a baby angel.
Her habit of kicking off the blanket was still the same.
“How cute.”
Decarus slowly approached and properly covered her with the cotton-like blanket.
“Mmm…. Macarons… delicious….”
Even in her dreams, she seemed to be savoring her beloved macarons. Her face, with lips gently moving, radiated pure bliss.
He lightly kissed her forehead and then went to the wardrobe.
It was a bit troublesome to put on and take off the same shirt every time.
But he had never skipped this routine since his mother passed away.
“Carus, I really want to see you in uniform when you grow up.”
His mother was as warm as sunshine.
She was also a person with such a tender heart that she would cry when he fell.
“Carus….”
He turned around at the voice coming from behind him.
Seeing no movement, it must have been sleep talking.
He took off his shirt and changed into his pajamas.
He had to go to the bathroom as he had told the maids to prepare water.
“Decarus….”
Drawn by her voice once more, he moved closer to her this time. Long eyelashes framed her eyes, above a delicate yet prominent nose, and adorable lips.
He studied her features methodically.
No matter how often he gazed upon her, she remained utterly enchanting.
“You were so shy earlier.”
He reached out and placed his hand on her cheek.
Her cheek, warm like a stove, felt just like a peach.
Decarus slowly approached her and kissed her red lips.
“Elena.”
The moonlight streaming through the window brightly illuminated her.
He held her white hand and looked at her with languid eyes.
“What should I do with you.”
