There is No Key to His Cage - Chapter 29
The vast black night was draped with an enormous black cloth.
The starlight shone brilliantly, becoming a streetlight for those who had lost their way.
Under the blue Milky Way, the starlight falling like rain sparkled brilliantly.
“The sky here is prettier than in Korea.”
Watching the night sky every night was her joy.
Perhaps it was due to the clear air.
Unlike the dark sky of Seoul, there were countless small stars burning their bodies to emit light.
“It would have been better if Aiden could see this too…”
In those carefree days gone by, they would often lie on the grass together, gazing at the clear night sky and chatting away.
The sound of crickets and the fireflies embroidering the sky are still unforgettable memories.
“But now…”
She still remembers that time.
On a quiet night, lying down and looking at the night sky with Aiden.
The sound of willows by the river fluttering in the wind and the cool air of a summer night.
Stars twinkled so brightly that they seemed to shine even with closed eyes.
All of this was perfect.
“Elena, can we live like this forever?”
“Say something that makes sense. How can we live forever? “
“No, it’s just a saying. Who lives forever? You really don’t understand…”
“What? Did you just insult me?”
They rolled on the grass, desperate to devour each other.
Well, they didn’t hit each other, but they growled fiercely.
“Hey, come down.”
“No. I won’t come down until you apologize.”
“Ha, really, is this something to apologize for? You should have a heart as vast as the sea like me…! Ah! Why did you hit me!”
“I hit you because you deserved it. You think I’d hit you for no reason? Think before you act.”
“Ah…!”
At that moment, Aiden used his strength to turn the situation around.
When did that little boy from before become a man with such strength?
“What are you trying to do? Get off.”
“You started it, so I’m trying it too. How does it feel?”
“I didn’t do this. Let go, you.”
The distance between them was too close, it was uncomfortable.
Besides, he never grabbed her wrist before, but now he’s doing it so unfairly.
“That’s why I told you not to act up. It’s all because of this oppa…!”
“What oppa? Don’t say things like that. Girls don’t like it.”
“Girls? What does that have to do with anything?”
“Are you going to live like this and die old? I want to meet some handsome men.”
“Why are you looking far away for that?”
He always said strange things.
He might look good to other girls, but to her eyes, he’s not much.
“You’re not my type.”
“How can I not be your type? Other girls come running when they see me.”
“Ha… really.”
Aiden has considerable confidence in his appearance.
Well, big eyes, high nose, white skin, blonde hair, and golden eyes…
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the epitome of a pretty boy.
After lying under him for a while like that, Aiden left a strange remark.
“And you can’t get married. Because I won’t let you go for the rest of my life.”
She couldn’t read his mind, but somehow his eyes seemed sincere.
“Not letting me go for life, my foot. My goal is to get you married off.”
She is going to see him living happily after setting up a home and everything.
Because she doesn’t know when or where she might die, or be possessed someone again.
She just can’t bear to see him lonely and alone.
Elena, who had been staring out the window for a long time with her chin resting on her hand, suddenly turned her gaze to the clock.
“Sigh… But when is that guy coming?”
At some point, Elena found herself waiting for him without realizing it.
Whether it was love born from hate or something else, these days she felt a bit bored when he wasn’t around.
“Oh my… my waist…”
Perhaps because of Jane’s Spartan etiquette lessons, her waist felt like it was about to break, so she lay down on the bed.
Just as she was staring blankly at the starlight shining through the large bay window, she heard the sound of the door opening.
Creak-
“Carus?”
She quickly turned around like a dog welcoming its owner.
“Elena.”
Then Decarus smiled slightly at her as if wondering what was going on.
His face in the moonlight was still expressionless, but somehow today he seemed different.
“Where have you been? You look different today.”
“The Imperial Palace.”
As soon as he closed the door, he headed towards the wardrobe far from the bed.
On the pointed hanger hung the outer garment that had been with him all day.
Eventually, he took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the bed.
Thud-
The flat bed wobbled up and down under his weight.
But where he lay down was none other than in her arms.
“What’s this, why are you like this today?”
Elena seemed flustered as she stretched her arms out into the air and kicked him lightly with her legs.
They say people die when they change suddenly.
What on earth happened to this person?
“Stay still.”
His voice, neither high nor low, slowly echoed through the room.
His breath felt ticklish through the thin nightgown.
“Can you move over a bit?”
This position was quite uncomfortable.
Her legs were tingling, feeling like they might cramp soon.
After a while, Decarus, who had been ignoring her words, raised his head and met her eyes.
“You smell nice.”
His eyes were half-dazed as if he had lost his senses.
Sensing danger, Elena pushed him away with her knee.
“This won’t do. You should get some sleep…”
At that moment, an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.
Elena, who found herself in his arms without time to think, wore a flustered expression.
“What are you trying to do? Let go.”
His completely relaxed red eyes met hers.
His pink hair, shimmering in the moonlight, flowed smoothly through his fingers.
Seeing him in such a poor state made her break out in a cold sweat.
“Where are you trying to go?”
His lips touched her sensitive earlobe.
The slowly moving red petals moistened her ear.
Feeling the air somehow getting hotter, Elena gently turned her head and changed the subject.
“Did something happen to you?”
He held her tighter like a snake.
A pounding heartbeat in his left chest.
He leaned on her for a long time without saying anything.
It was clear that something had happened, but it was frustrating that he wouldn’t show it.
“……”
Elena, who had never comforted anyone in her life, was at a loss.
How should she comfort him at times like this?
Pat his head?
Tell him it’s okay?
Pat his back?
After pondering for a while, Elena raised her hand and slowly patted his back.
“I’m trying to comfort you. I don’t know what happened, but it feels like I should do this.”
Then he laughed softly and burrowed deeper into her arms.
“I have a younger sibling.”
This was the first time he had talked about his family.
She had heard about his parents before, but never about any siblings.
Elena slowly nodded and listened to his story.
“Although we’re cousins, he’s a precious younger brother to me. He protected me since we were young.”
She was surprised.
She had never even imagined him being protected by someone, rather than protecting others.
“He disappeared when he was nine, suddenly. Without a trace. We were supposed to go to the banquet together that day because it was my birthday.”
Elena nodded and listened attentively to his words.
“But now they say he’s back. Again without a word.”
Elena raised her head with wide eyes.
The eyes that met hers were wandering in the air.
“What do you mean…? So your younger brother who disappeared before suddenly came back?”
The story of a sibling thought to be dead returning alive was something she had only seen in the news.
He buried his face deeply in her slender shoulder and continued speaking.
“Yes.”
“So that’s why you went to the Imperial Palace today?”
“Yes.”
His voice was low and weary, as if dragging along the floor.
She didn’t want to ask any more questions now.
Even if he didn’t show it on the outside, he seemed to be suffering deeply inside.
“Go wash up. I think it’s better if we sleep now.”
“No.”
As he turned his head, his black hair gently tickled her cheek.
The soft flesh touching her collarbone slowly crept up her neck.
“Just a little longer like this.”
And so, Elena, held in his arms for a long time, slowly patted his broad back.
The small hand caressing him seemed to be stained with sadness.
Is losing family this painful?
She seemed to understand it intellectually, but couldn’t easily empathize emotionally.
For her, family was just a collection of negative emotions.
“Alright…”
The two of them held each other for a long time.
That night, with the full moon shining brightly, felt endlessly long as if time had stopped.
His face resting on her shoulder slowly buried itself in her arms.
“What, are you sleeping?”
Elena sat like a stone Buddha for hours in that position.
But the inevitable human needs couldn’t be stopped.
Leaning on each other like a high pile of rocks, she too fell asleep in his arms.
And so, the sun brightening the dawn soon peeked out its head and gradually swallowed the moon that had been illuminating the night.
***
At that time, Crystal Palace.
The soft round moonlight shining through the window created a dark shadow.
In a room painted with dark green walls, a man sat on a bed larger than his own body.
The man, as if he had just woken up, instinctively looked around.
His body, reflected in the night light, was full of scars as if cut by a knife.
“Imperial Palace…”
The air of the Imperial Palace felt after a long time, seemed unfamiliar.
Because he had vowed never to return to the Imperial Palace for life.
He, who had been staring blankly into space, looked around with a deep sigh.
“Angelonia…”
The vase on the bedside table was full of Angelonia flowers.
Angelonia, a flower that blooms only in the Crystal Palace among all the palaces.
Judging by their condition, it seems that a maid had been bringing new ones every day.
Smelling the flower scent after a long time, he frowned and muttered lowly.
“To think I would return here.”
Instead of the green forest where he used to play freely with her, his eyes were met with dark green wallpaper and a ceiling embroidered with gold thread.
He broke the flower stem he was holding and called her name in a low voice.
“Elena…”
