Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 317

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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 (36)
Anger flickered across Anistan’s eyes once more.
“Don’t speak so carelessly. Yes, I haven’t forgotten about ‘him’ for a single moment. I can’t forget. He appears in my dreams every night. The real Joshua feels the same way. I, who knew nothing, erased that child. I turned him into something disposable, something replaced by a new version. This isn’t some curious experimental result. If I could, I’d want to undo everything.”
Theo shook his head as if he couldn’t bear it any longer.
“Ani, let me ask you one thing. About Joshua’s situation—if you’re saying you never had any intention of doing anything to that child from the start, isn’t that a lie? Don’t you remember the promise you made to me after Ivnoa died?”
The moment Theo spoke Ivnoa’s name, his voice suddenly turned vicious. His lips, curled in a strange sneer, spat out words rapidly.
“Yes, yes. Let’s say you created something that merely resembled him in appearance, exactly as you intended. Then what? While that ‘doll’ moved at my command, what happened to the real Joshua? Would the doll’s imperfection mean he’d eventually return and reclaim his place? Ah, but before that, you’d have to dispose of those two villains who created the fake, wouldn’t you? Look here, Anistan, look carefully—is this the hidden ending of a fairy tale?”
Theo’s eyes grew increasingly lustrous.
“You’re describing a dream that only comes true through my failure. But does anyone plan with the intention of failing? The clumsy excuses you’re making now are no different. What good is it if you inadvertently created a doppelgänger or whatever, and someone’s existence was threatened because of it, and so on? It doesn’t matter anyway because ultimately….”
Anistan sat there dazed, as if he couldn’t do anything to stop those words. Theo finished speaking.
“I’ll kill that bastard.”
“….”
Though they sat facing each other, a thick curtain seemed to hang between them. Anistan stared at the darkness spread before him, while Theo saw everything except what he desired as nothing.
“You’re worried about dirtying your hands, aren’t you, Ani? Don’t be. Joshua von Arnim will never encounter his doppelgänger. They won’t meet while they live. You know that, don’t you? Do you know what kind of person I sent?”
Anistan spoke abruptly.
“Theo, aren’t you afraid?”
“Of what?”
“Of never receiving… forgiveness.”
A moment later, Theo burst into chuckling laughter.
“So you want to receive forgiveness from someone, it seems. Should I give it to you? But it would mean nothing to you, wouldn’t it? So I’ll tell you the truth. Even giving you a hundred concessions, let’s say you didn’t foresee the consequences of what you did. What would that matter? Frankly, who would forgive you after hearing that? Should I call Joshua and ask him? Will you be forgiven? Should I tell him to beat you until you are? Do you think you could be forgiven that way? What nonsense!”
Yet Anistan remained serious.
“Forgiveness… comes from within oneself. Think about whether you can forgive yourself.”
“Anistan, you’re too sentimental. Don’t you think the Mages of Ganapoli would have done the same thing you did as casually as eating a snack? Would they have trembled like you are now after creating a single doll? Isn’t it because of this that you fail to become as great as them? But one thing is certain.”
With that, Theo’s smile faded and his voice became grave.
“Now that Ganapoli is gone, you are the greatest puppeteer in existence.”
The country Doctor Norton called himself a doctor, but everyone around him called him a Mage. However, they didn’t call him that to his face. Since Norton had begun practicing medicine in this village over a decade ago, everyone knew as much.
Norton had no tower, as Mages commonly built, and lived alone in a modest one-story house with several rooms. He had gained some notoriety for inviting sick people to stay at his home when they came to see him. Apart from those two things, he was an ordinary man with nothing remarkable to speak of. On days when patients were scarce and his income insufficient, he did the work other Mages did. But he always wanted to use his magic for medicine.
A man who arrived on a day when patients were few received Norton’s eager welcome. Though sick people generally preferred a quiet atmosphere, the man showed no displeasure and extended one hand to Norton. He was then invited to stay for three days.
“I’ll decline. I’d get bored. Instead, I’ll visit every day for three days.”
The man proved to be better company than expected. By the third day, as Norton’s regenerative magic on the man’s broken wrist neared completion, he felt a slight sense of loss. On the final day, the man who arrived early in the morning left his wrist in Norton’s care while indulging his trivial conversation topics just as he had the previous two days.
“Even though I use magic, I still consider myself a proper doctor. More precisely, wouldn’t you say I’m a better one? I treat wounds in days that would normally take ten days or even a month.”
“If you could treat all wounds that way, it would be remarkable. I don’t understand why you remain in such a remote countryside. There must be far better positions available.”
“Ah, there were. But do you think I deliberately turned down such positions…? That’s impossible. The truth is….”
Years ago, Norton had nearly become the personal physician of a great lord, but there was a rival, so he had to take an examination. That morning he caught a severe cold and failed the test, and that cold was undoubtedly caused by childish sorcery his rival had cast to push him aside. That rival now ran a popular clinic in Keltika and was doing well, while Norton remained here. But thanks to that, he had gained much time for research, especially developing special techniques for treating bones. As a result, patients like the man came from far away, and he went on at great length about how it all worked out. By the time he finished speaking, he had already unwound all the bandages. Norton rolled up his sleeves, applied some slick ointment, and gave a gentle massage. The man smiled broadly.
“Well, I came here because of rumors I heard last year too. Is the income decent?”
“Enough to feed a couple of people, but since I have no family, there’s money left over. I’m thinking about what to do with it. Do you have any good ideas?”
“That’s simple—start a family. Get married and have children. That’s the best way, isn’t it?”
“That’s kind advice, but getting married at this age isn’t easy. Besides, one needs to be reasonably good-looking, doesn’t one? Ha ha ha. In any case, I’ll take your words to heart.”
Norton wasn’t ugly enough to be called homely, but his compact features and small frame made it difficult to call his appearance attractive. The man shook his head.
“There are women out there who would like someone like you.”
“Your words alone are a comfort. If you happen to meet such a woman, don’t forget to introduce us, would you?”
“I’ll have to charge a hefty matchmaking fee.”
“What choice do I have? Money to spare might as well go to something worthwhile.”
Norton broke into a good-natured laugh. Once the treatment concluded, he rummaged through a drawer attached to his desk and produced a sheet densely covered in writing.
“I’ve jotted down some foods that aid recovery here. Since you’ve had to endure my endless chatter, I thought I’d offer what little help I could… Ah, and one more thing—refrain from lifting anything heavy or exerting yourself for about a fortnight. That’s how the bones will mend cleanly.”
“Understood. I’ll keep it in mind.”
The Tall Man rose from his seat. Norton stood as well, smiling broadly.
“It’s a shame you won’t be coming back, but I can hardly hope for another injury to bring you in. Quite the predicament, isn’t it?”
“There’s always a chance I’ll return. Until then, earn yourself plenty of coin for when that woman appears.”
“Ah, now that I think of it, there was something I wanted to ask…”
Norton scratched his head as if suddenly recalling something.
“Your wrist fracture—it didn’t look like the sort from a simple collision or fall. Not that I’m certain, but it seemed rather as though someone had deliberately broken it. If that’s the case, you must have been in a fight? Are you a Knight, sir?”
“No.”
Since The Tall Man showed no displeasure, Norton continued with another smile.
“And your right hand is quite remarkably large, if I may say so. It struck me as rather unusual. But the truth is, when I was younger, despite being hopeless at fighting, I was dragged along by friends into street brawls time and again. Around that period, I believe I heard the Street Gang mention someone like you.”
“Mention me?”
The Tall Man replied indifferently, yet a glimmer of interest flickered beneath his measured tone. Norton, catching this, spoke with renewed enthusiasm.
“Yes! I’ve spent four days racking my brain, and finally it came to me. There’s a famous Mercenary captain in Recordable named Durgana, isn’t there? The rumor was that you broke him right in front of his own men. That was you, wasn’t it?”
At that moment, The Tall Man was retrieving a heavy pouch of silver coins from his pocket to settle the medical fee. His hand froze.
“Oh dear, I fear I’ve spoken out of turn.”
Though he said this, Norton’s eyes remained fixed on The Tall Man’s face, as if still expecting an answer. The Tall Man asked gently.
“Have you mentioned this to anyone else?”
“Mentioned it to someone? How could I speak of something I’m not even certain about? But it really is you, isn’t it? Your name escapes me—something like a flower, wasn’t it?… Ah yes, I do remember hearing you were a Mercenary. What brings you to these parts this time?”
That became Norton’s final words.
The Tall Man returned the coin purse to his pocket, then casually extended his right hand and seized Norton’s throat. As Norton’s eyes widened in shock, he twisted.
A sharp crack of bone echoed through the room.
Releasing his grip, The Tall Man’s body crumpled to the floor. As it collided with the table leg, a medicine bottle toppled and spilled, its contents trickling across the floorboards. While the liquid dripped steadily, The Tall Man flexed the right hand he’d just used, smiled faintly, and spoke.
“Excellent. No strain whatsoever. For a country Doctor, truly exceptional work.”
He then withdrew a heavy pouch of silver coins from his pocket and placed it on the table.
“A bonus for your service.”
As The Tall Man departed and the door closed, only the sound of dripping medicine echoed through the now-silent clinic. After a few more drops, even that ceased.
Children of Rune – 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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