Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 211

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 211.
Choose the Dawn (23)
The feeling was peculiar. I had never intended it, yet I found myself actually teaching swordplay to Lucian.
I had never harbored the desire to teach anyone before, and when I came here, I had resolved to do only what was necessary and remain apart from these people. Yet somehow, here I was.
Perhaps because of the unpleasant experiences I had encountered upon first arriving in Anomarad, I harbored a distaste for the affluent indifference of Anomarad’s people.
And Lucian was, in many ways, the very embodiment of such a temperament. He worried about nothing and moved through life without hesitation.
That I would promise to teach such a fellow something—I had turned the matter over in my mind countless times when alone, yet I still could not fathom why.
In this manner, I spent several days wrestling with concerns not unlike those Nauplion had faced after beginning to teach me in earnest at Belnor Estate.
Contrary to expectations, Lucian practiced obediently for quite some time. However, after a fortnight, his fickleness returned.
“I have somewhere I must go today. Let me skip just this once, yes? In exchange! Today I’ll call you ‘Elder Brother’ all day long. Come now, Elder Brother!”
“….”
A miscalculation on my part. Lucian, a pampered young master of a wealthy household, was far removed from needless pride. Seeing him grin with an attitude that suggested he would call me Elder Brother a hundred times over left me without words.
Since my arrival, Lucian had dismissed his servant Banada and now bestowed various courtesies upon him—waving him off to take a nap—before eventually heading to the stables and ordering two horses brought out.
The Stable Keeper hesitated before asking.
“Where are you going again… far away?”
“Yes, I thought I’d ride around and see the nearby area.”
“A leisurely ride, then….”
Lucian’s beloved horse was a lustrous chestnut mare, well-groomed and gleaming. He personally selected a black horse for me, saying it would suit the ‘Elder Brother’ better.
Leaving the Stable Keeper’s worried gaze behind, we departed from the estate.
“Where are we going?”
“Well, it’s about an hour’s ride from here. Let’s go see the city.”
“But you just said we were riding around the nearby area, didn’t you?”
I witnessed Lucian lying for the first time. He laughed somewhat awkwardly, shrugging his shoulders.
“Well, we can always decide to go farther, can’t we? What’s wrong with that?”
After riding for about an hour, we arrived at a small city called Amochia.
A market for medicinal herbs harvested from the Panojarae Mountains opened once a month, drawing many visitors from distant places. It was particularly renowned as an excellent place to procure rare herbs for crafting magical reagents.
This was because a reagent manufacturing facility established by the magical academy Nenyaple was located not far from Amochia, providing a stable market.
Lucian navigated through the winding alleys with practiced ease until he stopped before the entrance of a General Store. He seemed to gauge my reaction, but ultimately he entered.
Inside the shop, young men who had been gathered suddenly brightened upon seeing Lucian.
“Ah, welcome, Young Master Lucian. It’s been so long. And you’ve brought a friend today?”
As I glanced around, the men wore gentle smiles in Lucian’s presence, though they did not strike me as particularly respectable individuals.
This shop, which appeared to be a General Store, contained few items of everyday use; instead, it was mostly filled with strange antiques and curiosities. The space was cramped and carried a musty odor.
Lucian chuckled and spoke.
“Not a friend—my ‘Elder Brother.’ Anyway, we’re just looking around, so don’t mind us. Come, let’s hurry. We don’t have much time.”
At the word ‘Elder Brother,’ the men exchanged puzzled glances at me but quickly lost interest. They exited through a side door at the back of the shop, then wound through narrow alleys until they entered a small door beneath the eaves of a large building.
Inside was a spacious, elegant hall with roughly a dozen tables, already occupied by quite a number of people seated at each.
What was peculiar was the complete absence of windows. Thus, despite the daylight outside, several lamps burned throughout the room. Scanning the nearby tables, I recognized what this place was. Dice cups sat upon them.
As the men and Lucian approached a table, a woman who had been waiting spoke.
“You’ve arrived. Shall we begin?”
As people took their seats, the woman glanced at me standing nearby and spoke.
“Won’t you join us, sir?”
She received no answer. I didn’t open my mouth, nor did I show any other reaction or take a seat.
Dismissed, the woman shook her head and turned her attention back to the other guests.
“Then, shall we start with young master Lucian again today?”
Lucian’s expression brimmed with childlike excitement.
“Yes!”
The dice clattered across the table.
For the first time today, I stood like a proper bodyguard with my arms crossed, watching how they played.
The game seemed far simpler than the pursuit game I’d once learned from the Regent King. There was no scoresheet, and they simply rolled the dice twice each time, comparing results to determine the winner.
The only difference was that they wagered money at the start, and increased their bets with each re-roll. The winner took all the money the others had put down.
For the first hour, Lucian was the one who’d won the most. Then, gradually, fortune shifted.
Lucian began losing steadily, and after another hour had passed, he’d lost everything he’d won initially, plus an additional five hundred Elso.
As the losses mounted, Lucian’s pride flared. He eagerly urged them to roll again. Even after losing another three hundred Elso in the next half hour, he showed no sign of stopping.
Throughout it all, I said nothing and simply watched. Eight hundred Elso was a considerable sum, but to Lucian, drowning in wealth, it meant nothing. He wasn’t anxious about the money—he was simply burning with the shame of losing.
The men and woman exchanged glances, and two of them stretched and said they really ought to be heading home. Then another spoke up.
“Young master, perhaps you should call it a night as well. It’s getting late, and I really must be going.”
“That’s not fair! I haven’t recovered my losses yet…”
“There’s always next time, isn’t there?”
The man chuckled as he spoke. Lucian bit his lip thoughtfully, then rose and turned his head toward me.
“Let’s go.”
We stepped outside, parted ways with the men, and as we rode out of the city, I finally spoke.
“That doesn’t seem like a wholesome hobby.”
“It’s fun. I’d forgotten about it for a while after you arrived, but lately I’ve been wanting to do it again. I enjoy playing games with other people.”
“That’s not a game. That’s gambling.”
“I don’t care. Either way, I’m just entertaining myself. Since I have plenty of money, losing a little doesn’t burden me much…”
Lucian hesitated, perhaps worried that I was displeased, or perhaps for some other reason, before continuing.
“Even if I spend some money…… I just enjoy having fun with other people.”
“You could play with the servants.”
“The servants aren’t fun. They only let me win. No matter how much I tell them it’s fine to take the money, they won’t listen.”
As sunset approached, the reddened sun painted Lucian’s hair a golden hue. He grew melancholy, lowering his eyes as he spoke.
“I wish Mother had given me a younger sibling…”
Watching him voice this childish complaint so naturally—something most children outgrow before turning ten—I felt anew just how much younger this boy my age truly was than me.
Being childish meant he hadn’t endured much hardship. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
If sudden adversity struck, my chances of survival would far exceed Lucian’s. Yet given the unconditional protection of his incomparably wealthy father—something few nobles could match—such hardship seemed unlikely to befall Lucian anytime soon.
So there was no reason for Lucian to grow up quickly. No need to make such efforts. He could spend his childhood as a child should, and mature gradually with age.
…Why did I envy this so much?
As we approached the manor, I spoke to Lucian, who was dozing and waking by turns in his saddle.
“If you’d like, I can teach you a different dice game.”
“Mm…… Really? When? Will you teach me right now?”
“…Let’s get inside first.”
Even Boris was somewhat taken aback. Lucian, who had seemed devoid of thought and even perseverance, quickly grew accustomed to the pursuit game, and within mere days had begun racking up consecutive victories against Boris himself.
“Try a bit harder.”
It was what Lucian said with a cheerful grin as he swept away the triangular raisin cakes arrayed before Boris.
Since Boris disliked wagering money, these triangular-shaped cakes had been introduced as the stakes instead. As a result, the Kitchen had to bake sixty fresh cakes of the same variety each day.
Boris merely smiled, but in truth, he found it absurd that he—who had once defeated the Regent King himself—had now lost five consecutive matches to this carefree, optimistic Lucian.
Lucian, gnawing on one of the cakes he’d just won with his front teeth, suddenly spoke up.
“You know what your problem is? You’re too conservative with your moves. That’s why you keep losing.”
Boris opened his right hand as if inviting further explanation, then picked up a cake for himself.
“In a game like this, boldness is the key. My father told me long ago: ‘If it’s money you’re willing to lose, throw it far away without regret.’ It’s the same here. All that matters is comparing the final scores—if yours is 1 point higher, you win. We’re only playing against each other right now. If you score 10 points and I score 11, I win. Since neither of us is exceptionally skilled, there’s no need to aim for 50 or 100 points. Why be stingy with high-scoring moves? Sure, you might lose once or twice, but ultimately you’ll come out ahead in the overall win rate.”
Watching Lucian toss his head back arrogantly and wag his finger made Boris laugh, but what he’d said held merit. Boris erased the table of the previous game drawn on the slate as he spoke.
“That’s sound advice. It’s probably the right approach for you.”
“So you’re saying it’s not the right approach for you?”
Having finished erasing the table, Boris gazed into Lucian’s eyes.
“Since you mentioned your father, let me share something too. Long ago, my Father, who has since passed, told me this.”
Lucian possessed eyes of a clear blue, like a cloudless sky—without doubt or shadow. Boris’s blue-grey eyes held the hue of a rain-darkened sky.
“Always preserve one final move that can overturn the board. Victory in that last match means victory in all.”
Lucian repeated the words with wide eyes, then asked back.
“Why does winning the last match mean winning everything? The opponent could win the next game, couldn’t they?”
“There is no next game. The moment I win, I kill my opponent.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————