Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 262

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

Episode 32.
Not Every Child Is an Angel (32)
I watched silently as Aneli shoved the papers and envelopes deep into her bag. My eyebrow twitched slightly. When our eyes met again, I spoke.
“What’s wrong with being a Demonic?”
“You’ve watched them for over a decade and still don’t understand? Do you know what they’re like? When they control a human mind, they suppress the original consciousness and temporarily insert a new personality with minimal function. We control that new personality. It works because humans can’t simultaneously manage two consciousnesses—though rarely, some can, most of the time the two personalities just alternate rather than coexist naturally. But Demonics? They can do it! Not just two, but ten, twenty, however many! Demonics are known mainly for their genius, but the truly terrifying trait is the breadth of their consciousness. It’s thousands of times wider than ordinary humans! Inserting one new personality into that vast space? The Demonic would barely notice—they’d probably start conversing with it! Control a Demonic through magic? Absolutely absurd!”
Aneli grew excited as she spoke, fanning herself as if hot, then drained her cold tea in one gulp. Then I spoke.
“Yet Aunt, how do you know so much about Demonics?”
“Demonics have existed for hundreds of years in this world. Anyone who pays attention knows about them. Is that strange?”
Aneli replied while blinking rapidly several times. I responded calmly.
“Yes, it is strange. The breadth of a Demonic’s consciousness—such things, I’ve never even heard discussed, and I’m a member of House of Arnim.”
“Well, that house probably views Demonics as a disability, so it’s natural. But among those who study magic, there are those with great interest in Demonics. We’re always plagued by insufficient power, so sometimes we envy those monsters a little.”
I glanced toward Anistan, who had lowered his eyes and said nothing. I raised my eyebrows.
“I see. In any case, you’re saying controlling a Demonic is impossible, so I’ll have to think of another method. I can’t just accept ‘it’s impossible’ and give up. I need to clear the obstacles to move forward.”
Aneli crossed her arms and stared at me intently.
“Obstacles? What ‘forward’ are you trying to reach? The house’s wealth? A title? What will you do with those? Live well and comfortably? You’re already doing that. Look at this house. To my eyes, it’s a royal palace. And wouldn’t they share enough wealth with their only daughter to live in comfort? Of course, you’re clever and capable enough that serving a stone-headed master would be beneath you, but could you earn as much as you have now even if you worked until death with those abilities?”
Anistan grabbed her arm several times, startled by words that were less sharp than outright vicious, but Aneli didn’t budge.
“Perhaps you want to rise in status? Boast and show off before the Keltika nobility? Too bad, but for that you’d have needed to be born with the Arnim name from the start. No matter how splendidly you dress as a Duke, to those nobles born at the very top of the Tower of Nobility, you’re just a social climber, a fake. Think back on what your father was like. Could things have gone better than this, being born under such a man? If your father were still alive, he might have collapsed and died right at the entrance of this house from sheer excitement.”
Aneli had always spoken her mind freely wherever she was. And she regarded Theo’s Father, Theostid da Moro I, as irredeemable trash.
Theo’s Father had sold me to House of Arnim and immediately disappeared from my homeland, worried someone might ask for even a single coin of that money. He never sought me out again. Only after his death did word come—he’d squandered every last bit of the vast sum the Duke had given him, leaving nothing for funeral expenses and even dying in massive debt.
When Duke Arnim heard the news, he gladly paid the debts and sent funeral expenses. He told me to attend the funeral, but I refused. Such a man as my father? There could be nothing worse than his existence.
I listened calmly to everything Aneli said, then smiled faintly.
“So you’re saying I’m overstepping by wanting more than this.”
“No. You could want more. Human greed is infinite, after all. But I don’t understand why you were angry enough to torment a ten-year-old.”
I nodded.
“I see. Since you don’t understand, let me explain. House of Arnim brought me in, then later decided I didn’t suit them and had a son. Yet they didn’t cancel the engagement, nor did they have me marry, dragging it out for twelve years. Why? Because they needed to weigh their options. If that son hadn’t been a Demonic, if he hadn’t been so frail and weak-stomached and sickly from childhood, they’d have cast me out long ago. But just in case, they couldn’t be sure, and they didn’t want to actually make me family by having me marry, so they left me in engagement limbo for twelve years. The funniest part? They didn’t even know how long Ive would live. If their daughter suddenly died, they could give the fiancé some money and send him away. But a son-in-law? They couldn’t do that, couldn’t take back what they’d given, and there’s no more useless dependent in the world than that. Fearing such enormous loss, they watched and waited for twelve years. How do you think I saw them?”
“That’s certainly petty. I don’t underestimate your patience through all that. But you did marry in the end, didn’t you? You got this house, and when the kingdom era returns, you’ll get some minor title, won’t you?”
“This house? It’s just a branch estate of House of Arnim. The wealth? I think I’ll stay here about two years. I received living expenses calculated for exactly that duration. They’re so meticulous. They don’t know what will happen in two years, so they won’t waste a single coin in advance. Everything depends solely on whether the noble siblings born of the Arnim name live or die, go mad or stay sane—and my wretched, ephemeral life hangs in that balance. You might call it a spare. A spare candlestick, a spare plate, something to take out and use depending on circumstances, or perhaps not.”
Aneli leaned gradually toward me. The sharpness faded from her lips.
“If what you say is true, why did they have you marry?”
“For appearances. It seems a storm of blood is coming to Keltika, and to deceive the Republican Government’s eyes and send their children somewhere safe, they needed to seem like they had serious reasons. A sickly daughter getting the marriage she so desperately wanted, taking what might be her final journey in life—that kind of story should be enough for the Republican Government’s fools to accept a bribe and issue travel permits, right? I should probably pray to the Republican Government. Without them, I might have set a record for a twenty-year engagement.”
As I spoke these words, I seemed almost cheerful, as if discussing someone else’s story. But the moment I finished and clamped my mouth shut, my lips trembled. Anistan watched that trembling. All the years that proud young Theo had endured seemed to be contained entirely in that quiver.
“Do you know what my role will be going forward? The Demonic Joshua can die or turn into a madman at any moment. I wait, and wait, and wait some more, and if such a thing happens, I fill that role. If it doesn’t, I continue as a nursemaid. Is this a fair contract? Should the son of Theostid da Moro be satisfied with this much? If I do well, am I supposed to be grateful as that man’s son, and if I do poorly, is it natural because I’m that man’s son? What possible connection do I have to that man?”
Still, I smiled. But simultaneously, I stared ahead. Toward one side of the table, at empty space, smiling while glaring at something intangible.
“Theo.”
When Aneli called, I quickly shook my head and looked at her.
“If what you say is true, what are you doing in such a place? Leave now. Gather what’s valuable and disappear. This is a foreign country, isn’t it? Who would find you?”
I shook my head.
“No. I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Afraid of being chased? I’ll help you. That much is easy for me. Or do you have lingering feelings for that idiot?”
My expression became strange. Then suddenly I burst out laughing.
“Aunt, I appreciate your concern, but I won’t flee like this. I’ve invested too much of my life here to abandon it now. No one asked my permission when the contract changed after Joshua was born, but do you think I didn’t notice? If I were going to run, I should have done it then. But I’ve been waiting all this time. For my turn.”
“Your turn?”
“A contract is mutual, isn’t it? Just because one side broke it unilaterally, must I accept that? I haven’t accepted it. And there’s no law saying only they can do such things. They need to understand that shattered pottery scatters in unpredictable directions.”
Aneli rolled her neck thoughtfully before speaking.
“Well, you’re not wrong, but what exactly can you do about it? It seems you wanted to manipulate that boy Joshua into leaving the house, but as I said, that’s impossible. So should I kill him instead? Fair warning—I won’t have any part in that.”
Theo smiled bitterly.
“No, that won’t happen. It’s not because I love the child so much. If Joshua were murdered and the culprit couldn’t be found, I’d be pinned as the killer regardless of whether I actually did it or not.”
Aneli furrowed her brow, glanced at Anistan, then nodded.
“Assuming you’re right, then what now?”
“The task is simple. With this marriage, I’ve reached exactly the halfway point. What remains is to make Joshua leave House of Arnim, and for me to take control of that house.”
“So how?”
“You and Anistan will help me by any means necessary. Won’t you?”
Children of Rune – Winterer
Author: Jeon Min-hee
Publisher: 14 Books of the Month
The copyright to this book belongs to the author and 14 Books of the Month.
To reuse all or part of the contents of this book, you must obtain written consent from both parties.

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