Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 314

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 84.
Finding the Cat in the Furnace (33)
Only then did Maximian examine the date inscribed on the stone more carefully and speak.
“989 years? That’s just last year. So why does it look like it’s been neglected for thirty years?”
Caesar chuckled beside him.
“That means they set up a new barrier last year. Loru has quite the eccentric taste, picking up some decrepit old tombstone and putting it to use like this.”
“Is the Mage’s name Loru?”
Caesar shook his head while brushing dust from the stone.
“That’s just a childhood nickname. Don’t call him that when you meet him. He might get angry.”
“Then what should we call him?”
“Ask him politely when you meet. His preferences change so often that we have no choice but to confirm each time. Last time I called him ‘Al’. Anyway, that’s just how mages are.”
After brushing off all the dust, Caesar nodded and planted his rear on top of the stone, even lifting his legs. In short, he ended up squatting on the tombstone. Maximian asked.
“What are you doing?”
“Now then, who’s next? Climb onto my shoulders. I’m thinking Maximian should sit first, then the Young Duke goes on top of you, and Riche would be last.”
The two Anomarad natives, not understanding what he meant, blinked and asked back.
“What… what are you trying to do?”
“A piggyback ride game?”
Caesar grinned and looked at Riche, who immediately grew irritated.
“Why are you leaving the explanation to me! Ugh… anyway, this stone—assuming Father chose it correctly—is an external marker connected to the interior of the barrier the Mage set up. It’s like a boundary stone. So to enter, everyone has to stand on this stone. And there’s only one way to do that.”
Maximian spoke in disbelief.
“So you’re saying you’ll support the weight of all three of us from the bottom?”
Joshua scratched his head.
“That seems impossible.”
“If that position seems difficult, you could also lie down and hold us like you’re carrying a baby…”
Maximian quickly declined with an unstable laugh.
“Ha, haha… such a position? I’d remember it for the rest of my life. Let’s just do the piggyback ride.”
Until they made this decision, they had no idea how much they would struggle to achieve the desired formation. The bigger problem was that even after completing the arrangement, they had to wait for a response. Thanks to Maximian’s long legs, the piggyback ride allowed him to properly touch the stone, but even so, bearing the weight of three people—or even two—for an extended period was no easy task.
“Come on, a bit more balance…”
“How much longer?”
“I can see pretty far from here?”
“Don’t shake! I’m getting dizzy!”
Since no one was there to accurately assess their appearance, the work became surprisingly serious. Otherwise, they might have all fled in embarrassment. It was fortunate that whenever they collapsed, no one got injured or fell ungracefully. Only the horse beside them stood watching blankly, neighing and backing away.
“It’s tilting!”
“I told you not to press on just one side!”
“I couldn’t help it.”
“This is really an unpleasant situation.”
As they gained more technique, the time they could hold out grew longer, but simultaneously their stamina was being depleted, so the situation gradually became more grueling.
“Phew, I think I’m reaching my limit…”
“Couldn’t we just go in one at a time?”
“Riche is quite heavy too.”
“Do you really want to nag me in a situation like this?”
They all held their ground until their faces turned crimson, yet nothing happened. Finally, as they swayed and tilted precariously, all three screamed in unison. Immediately after, Maximian spoke with evident displeasure.
“If anyone sees us like this, I swear I’ll erase them from existence.”
“I’ll help with that.”
“Please don’t refuse my cooperation either.”
“Everything’s fine, but spare the poor—no, the expensive horse.”
Despite their unified resolve, collapse was inevitable. As they tilted leftward and their supporting legs gave way, with the one on top leaping off again, the moment Riche’s feet touched the ground, she burst into complaint.
“How much longer do we have to do this?!”
Then a strange voice answered from beside her.
“Stop now.”
“Huh?”
Riche startled and looked around frantically. The others did the same. Somehow the scenery had changed, and they now stood on a spacious wooden floor hall.
The tan-brown floor with visible wood grain, the soft-gleaming walls and pillars—everything was bright and luminous. In other words, they were indoors. The owner of the strange voice Riche had heard was buried in an old armchair placed some distance away, observing the group with suspicious eyes.
Those eyes held absolutely no kindness. The reason became clear soon enough. No matter how much they looked around, only three people had arrived at this unfamiliar place—which meant Caesar, who should have been making introductions, was missing.
The three exchanged glances and found comfort in each other’s expressions, realizing they weren’t the only ones wearing a blank look. Someone had to speak, and Joshua, most sensitive to propriety and consumed by the thought that he should be the one to do so, opened his mouth without calculation.
“Who are you… or rather, um, what should I… how should I address… in other words, who are you exactly?”
Riche beside him snickered quietly.
“Even a Demonic can sound dumb sometimes.”
Maximian snickered identically from beside her.
“Do you even know what a Demonic is?”
“A candidate for madness with genius.”
“Yes, you’ve hit the mark.”
Then the person in the armchair raised his upper body slightly.
A man in his forties with irritable thin lips and hollow cheeks—the sort who might once have been called beautiful in his youth. The only flaw was that his youthful beauty hadn’t aged gracefully, making him look like a young person unconvincingly disguised as middle-aged. The white robe draped over his body was absurdly loose, but he was clearly a mage nonetheless.
Upon hearing Joshua’s question, the Mage furrowed his brow severely and widened his eyes, causing the three visitors to tense. Riche muttered under her breath, “Useless Miss Montplayne…”
“Who am I, you ask?”
His tone alone didn’t seem particularly difficult…
“I’m the master of this house! Do you need further explanation? You’re resting in someone’s home, and unknown intruders burst in asking ‘Who are you exactly?’ Think about it from my perspective! I’m dying of curiosity about who you are! You’ve made me this curious and you’re planning to just say ‘Goodbye’ and leave? Even if you were planning that, why did you come in the first place? But it’s too late now. The moment I saw you, I already made plans. You there!”
Riche, pointed at, answered uncertainly.
“Yes?”
“Take out the mop from the water gutter behind you! See that black marble floor over there? Now, polish it until it shines!”
Riche protested awkwardly in confusion.
“W-why should I do something like that!”
“Did you think I’d let you go for free?”
“What are you even talking about!”
But the Mage had already turned his gaze, shooting it alternately between Joshua and Maximian.
“You boys… see that kitchen over there? Go in and you’ll find a wooden tub full of potatoes. The spoons are in the cupboard, and the worn-edged ones are best for the job.”
Maximian furrowed his brows oddly and opened his mouth.
“The job…?”
“Of course, peeling the potatoes!”
Maximian protested as well.
“Listen here! Yes, we appeared without warning, but isn’t it unreasonable to assume we’re in the wrong and force us into domestic labor without even hearing our explanation?”
The Mage rolled his eyes as if to say, “You really don’t know that either?”
“Haven’t you heard what happens to those who break into a Mage’s House without permission?”
“I haven’t heard! And we didn’t break in—”
The Mage didn’t let Joshua finish his sentence.
“You peel potatoes! Now do you understand?”
“That’s completely absurd—”
In the midst of this, Joshua seemed to accept the logic and pointed out something entirely different.
“But why peel them with a spoon instead of a knife?”
“You don’t know that since potatoes have walked alongside humanity, the true art of peeling lies in a well-worn spoon? Truly pathetic. You soak them thoroughly in water, grip the spoon firmly, and scrub away vigorously. Use the tip of the spoon to dig out the eyes, and keep the peeled potatoes submerged in cold water. That way, when you stir-fry them, the starch won’t burn, and of course when you retrieve them, drain them completely in a colander so that… therefore, the potato is the finest food on earth. Do you understand?”
The Mage, who had been speaking with fervent enthusiasm, grew weary and abruptly ended his explanation, then pulled out a long broom from behind his chair.
“Here, a broom to supervise on my behalf.”
His words were no jest. The moment he released the broom, it sprang to life and stood upright on its own. The eyes of the three young people conscripted for housework widened as if they might burst from their sockets.
“Now go, quickly!”
As the broom chased them fiercely, they had no choice but to flee in panic. Moments later, a scream echoed from the kitchen.
“This… this isn’t an amount a person can peel!”
The Mage settled back into his chair with satisfaction, crossing his arms.
“I’ve been saving up potatoes diligently and haven’t even swept the floor, all for this very day.”
Yet despite the broom’s relentless pressure, Maximian rushed back, pointing his fingers accusingly as he shouted.
“If you’re a Mage, couldn’t you simply peel the potatoes with magic? Where on earth does this absurd logic come from that one must inevitably peel potatoes upon trespassing into a Mage’s House?”
The Mage glared at Maximian with displeasure.
“My, someone who doesn’t even read books. Go quietly and peel the potatoes, and then I’ll consider your requests.”
“It would take ten years to finish all those potatoes, and we only entered because we followed the boundary stone you created—”
“A boundary stone? What’s that now? Anyway, it’s none of my concern. Just know that since you’ve entered here, you can’t leave without my permission. If you don’t believe me, try finding the exit yourself.”
Children of the Runes – Winterer
Author: Jeon Min-hee
Publisher: 14 Months Publishing
The copyright to this book belongs to the author and 14 Months Publishing.
To reuse all or part of this book’s contents, written consent from both parties is required.

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