Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 334

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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 104.
Ninety-Eight Souls (17)
“Caesar’s horse or the cavalry’s horse?”
“Miss Montplayne’s horse!”
“The cavalry’s!”
Riche and Maximian offered different answers, then exchanged glances. In that moment, they both recognized the same concern mirrored in each other’s eyes.
“If it’s Caesar’s, it was just now. The cavalry’s was this morning.”
“Can we see it now?”
Juspian withdrew a thick scroll from within his robes, instructed them to hold it open to a blank section, and began drawing a large circle within it. The moment his pen touched the parchment, various forms suddenly erupted from within the circle—trees, rocks, grass, horses, and people. At first, they appeared as mere outlines sketched by the pen, but soon they transformed into vivid, detailed shapes.
Caesar appeared first. He had returned to stand before the Boundary Stone, studying it intently as though contemplating his next move.
“Is that it?”
Maximian shook his head urgently.
“Show us the cavalry.”
Juspian then unrolled the scroll further and drew another circle in the empty space. Moments later, forms began to emerge there as well.
The cavalry stood gathered, waiting for something. Maximian struggled to locate the person he sought—through this scroll, human faces appeared like moving pen sketches, making them difficult to discern.
But he found him at last.
Of course, they did not recognize his face. He wore a mask then. Yet one thing could not be mistaken—a hand so enormous it engulfed an entire face.
Maximian and Joshua said nothing, standing rigid as stone. But Riche leaped up with a cry.
“Quickly, bring Miss Montplayne here at once! Now!”
Though she harbored little affection for her father, the thought that he faced immediate danger was unbearable. Only Juspian remained composed, his gaze shifting calmly between the three of them.
“What’s wrong? Has a debt collector arrived?”
At that moment, Caesar Montplayne crouched before the problematic Boundary Stone.
“I should have finished everything by now. Why haven’t they called me yet?”
He ran his hand across the stone, and a thought occurred to him—could he transmit his voice through it?
“If people can be sent through, surely a voice can be too.”
Rather than remain crouched painfully before a monument whose activation time remained uncertain, calling out a few times seemed effortless. After a moment’s consideration, he pressed his mouth close to the stone and spoke.
“Hey.”
“Listen.”
Would they understand even if they heard this? Caesar raised his voice and changed his approach.
“Hey, listen! If you’re truly the most brilliant and magnificent mage in the world, you’ll surely hear my voice! If you’re refined, a genius, handsome, and have a beautiful daughter, you’ll hear my voice!”
“What is that voice?”
Joshua, whose ears were the keenest, heard it first. Juspian paused mid-roll of the scroll and asked.
“What did you hear?”
“A voice searching for a refined, genius, handsome mage with a beautiful daughter.”
“That’s me, isn’t it?”
Riche pressed him from beside him.
“Was that voice Miss Montplayne’s?”
Joshua nodded, and Riche began stamping her feet, crying out as though her own voice might carry through as well.
“What are you doing over there? Is this really the time for such nonsense?”
A brief silence followed, then a voice reached all their ears unmistakably—something between a shout and a cry.
“Did you hear me? Take me with you!”
Juspian muttered a curse under his breath and flicked his fingertips. In the next instant, Caesar appeared in a crouching position. He spoke the moment he materialized.
“Hey.”
Riche dropped the scroll she was holding and extended her hand to help Caesar to his feet. The moment she confirmed he was uninjured, she erupted in anger.
“You dump us in this godforsaken place and disappear, only to show up now! Do you have any idea how much we’ve suffered while you were gone? All this needless worry you’ve caused us!”
“I suffered too. You took all the provisions, Riche. From now on, we should divide them and carry them together.”
“That’s not the point—or rather, is that really the point? I—”
“That’s not the point. The point is—”
Caesar glanced around until he spotted Joshua, then fixed his gaze upon him and spoke slowly.
“He’s arrived.”
Maximian answered in his stead.
“I know.”
As he replied, he turned his body toward Juspian.
“We need to depart immediately, so we’ll need fuel, please.”
Juspian, showing no sign of urgency, rolled up the scattered scroll and tucked it back into his waistband before speaking.
“Leaving is fine, but why the sudden rush? Who is this ‘he’ you’re talking about?”
Riche spoke rapidly, still unable to calm her agitation.
“I told you from the very beginning! There’s a pursuer following us—some thug. I don’t want to face him, so please let us leave right now.”
“So you’re afraid of being spotted by those cavalry soldiers outside? But what about this?”
The moment Juspian spoke with a negative inflection, all three of them rushed forward and cried out simultaneously.
“What? What’s the problem?”
“This airship.”
Even Caesar’s eyes, along with the other three, fixed upon Juspian.
“I can’t fly it unless we go outside first.”
At that moment, The Tall Man stood at the spot where someone had been crouching in the meadow, loudly uttering incomprehensible sounds before vanishing. Because it was not far away, the cry carried clearly to his ears.
The Tall Man looked down. He could see a single stone slab, resembling a gravestone, sitting alone.
After studying it alone for some time, when The Mage and Adjutant approached, The Tall Man pointed to the stone.
“I found it. This must be the marker that grants entry into that boundary.”
The Tall Man nodded and asked a question.
“But can they hear words spoken here?”
“I’m not certain, but it may be possible. Is there something you wish to say?”
The Tall Man smiled broadly and spoke.
“I always have plenty to say.”
It was then that a light throat-clearing sound was heard above everyone’s heads.
Ahem, ahem.
Joshua flinched, his eyes widening, then his breath caught as he slowly lowered his gaze. It was a voice he could not possibly mistake. In fact, Joshua never mistook anyone’s voice.
“Joshua?”
Riche called to him as if to confirm her worst premonition, and her eyes turned upward. No matter where she looked, she saw nothing, yet all of them became frozen as if captivated. Maximian pressed his lips firmly together in thought. He had never wanted to hear that voice again.
Yes, yes, can you hear me clearly?
The voice was as distinct as if he stood right beside them. The flat, businesslike tone was identical. In that moment, the three forgot that words spoken here would not reach him. No one opened their mouth.
Well, let’s assume you can hear me. Three of you—no, four—somewhere I can’t quite place. I’ve come to honor our promise. Though I must confess, I’m a day past the agreed date. For that, I apologize.
Juspian broke the silence.
“What is that thing?”
Riche startled at Juspian’s voice, then realized her own words weren’t reaching him. She exhaled softly, and though something made her reluctant to speak loudly, she answered in a hushed tone.
“A thug.”
“A thug? From what I heard, he sounded more like a peddler. Did you lot skip out on paying him? How much are we talking?”
“Please, just trust what I’m telling you.”
Juspian seemed far more intrigued by the visitors’ reactions than by whether he believed Riche or not. Thus, he made no effort to engage the figure outside in conversation, nor did he attempt to silence him.
Maximian deliberated. Should I continue listening to what this man says? After all, we’re clearly adversaries with no room for negotiation—there’s nothing more to discuss. Anything I hear is unlikely to yield useful intelligence. Of course, he might slip up and reveal something. But the fact that I’m simply listening because I can hear him… isn’t that tantamount to being attacked unilaterally?
By the time he reached that conclusion, the voice came again.
You might all believe that place is safe, but I see things differently. We may have some acquaintance, perhaps. But everyone judges good and evil by their own measure. Just as one cannot say whether the deer or the hunter is right, the same applies to you and me.
Riche frowned.
“What is he babbling about?”
Juspian spoke.
“Sounds like he’s trying to justify himself.”
Maximian thought again. Justify himself?
Why would he feel the need to make excuses? Last time too, he’d spoken of how everyone’s standards differ. I recalled him saying that what’s trivial to one person might be a crime worthy of death to another. This is mere repetition. Does he enjoy rehashing the same arguments?
The truth is, I hold no particular grudge against you. I know nothing of how you’ve lived, nor do I care. The only reason I’m going to such lengths is simple—I’m being paid. I’m nothing but a wretched creature bound by my salary.
A low chuckle echoed from above. By calling himself a “salaryman,” he revealed not just a lack of need for further self-disclosure, but also his perspective on his own role.
Anyone who takes a salary must do honest work for it. I have no interest in my employer’s sense of justice, nor do I have the right to judge it. Those who understand the struggles and limitations of a wage-earner wouldn’t dream of obstructing my work. To interfere with another’s difficult labor for a salary, bound by personal ties, is the mark of someone who lacks a broader sense of balance.
Children of Rune – Winterer
Author: Jeon Min-hee
Publisher: 14 Months Publishing
The rights to this book belong to the author and 14 Months Publishing.
To reuse all or part of this book’s content, 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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