Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 345

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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 115.
Ninety-Eight Souls (28)
“Of course, I can’t see anything.”
Maximian glanced around unnecessarily, then shrugged and nodded.
“I think it would be better to greet them now.”
Realizing the words weren’t directed at her, Riche pressed herself flat against the ship’s rail with wide eyes. She had never regretted more that there was nowhere to escape beyond the railing. Unable to flee, a new voice pierced through her ears.
“Good evening, miss.”
Whether the voice sounded kind or not, Riche froze completely.
“I… I don’t know… M-Maximian, what… what should I do, huh? I’m not ready right now. Not at all. Like this, so suddenly…”
“Why are you trembling so much?”
Maximian, who had been startled himself at first, spoke in an indifferent tone while gazing toward the elevator shaft.
“It’s been a while—or rather, we saw each other yesterday and now again.”
“Thank you for understanding the signal. It seems quite a lot has happened in the meantime.”
Riche looked toward the elevator shaft as well, but of course she saw nothing. She only noticed a single rope end standing rigid like a living serpent. Maximian, noticing Riche trembling, spoke.
“If you’d like, hide behind me.”
“I’d be truly grateful if that’s possible.”
With those words, Riche rushed behind Maximian and clung tightly to him. A short laugh sounded, and the voice spoke again.
“I tried to speak as politely as possible to avoid startling you, but it seems it didn’t help, Miss Avril.”
“You should consider her a woman of great courage for not fainting outright.”
Maximian muttered.
“That’s true. You make a fair point. To facilitate our conversation, let me first say that I’m currently sitting beside the elevator shaft. I won’t come closer while we talk, so rest assured. Once you hear my voice, you’ll be able to guess where I am.”
Riche, slowly steadying her breathing, finally opened her mouth.
“How… how do you know my name?”
“Because I’ve been watching for some time.”
Maximian frowned and offered a rebuke.
“Saying things like that will only frighten her more.”
Riche gripped Maximian’s shoulder tightly as she spoke.
“No, if you’re a spirit, it wouldn’t be strange no matter when or where you were. I’m not frightened.”
“Those words would be more credible if you loosened your grip.”
“My name is Kelsniti Meed. And you are Miss Clariece de Avril, correct? I’ve observed you before, but this is our first proper meeting face to face. Though I’m afraid you won’t be able to see me.”
Riche spoke again.
“You really do know my name?”
Kelsniti spoke with a laugh.
“That name is far more elegant, so I prefer it.”
“It is elegant, but it doesn’t suit me.”
At Maximian’s cold assessment, instead of stepping on his foot, Riche merely pouted slightly.
“It’s only natural that a word like elegant doesn’t suit me.”
“That honesty of yours is one of your better qualities.”
“That sounds like praise, but somehow it feels insulting?”
“I’m glad your tension has eased somewhat. Then, shall we hear about what happened today? My young master is still fast asleep and hasn’t awakened yet.”
Maximian had been nagging Riche to loosen her grip on his shoulder, but he turned his head and changed his tone.
“Right, I need to ask about that first. Joshua, is he really okay like that? Can we just assume he’s sleeping?”
「It will take some time to recover his energy, but since he’s neither injured nor in pain, there shouldn’t be cause for concern. It appears to be aftereffects from the sudden spirit possession, but I’ll need him to explain the details directly.」
Recalling the situation at the time, Maximian’s face twisted. He was not one to remember supernatural phenomena he couldn’t control with any pleasure.
“According to what that unpleasant spirit woman said, nearly a hundred spirits entered Joshua’s body all at once….”
As the hastily summarized story drew to a close, Kelsniti remained silent for a long while. Riche, wondering if he had perhaps left, whispered cautiously to Maximian.
“Could he… suddenly appear from behind?”
“Even if he does, there’s nothing to worry about. That friend has been with Joshua for years.”
“But a spirit is still a spirit. And hearing your story, spirits seem even more frightening. You’re saying they can enter people’s bodies whenever they please?”
“Did you even listen properly to what I said? I told you they only entered after Joshua gave permission.”
“That’s only true for someone as powerful as Joshua, a medium. For ordinary people like us, it might be different. Don’t you remember when Juspian warned that it was dangerous when those spirits gathered?”
Maximian was about to sigh and respond again when Kelsniti’s voice came through.
「Avril is correct. Now there will be over a hundred spirits constantly appearing around Joshua, and there’s no guarantee they won’t covet other people’s bodies. Of course, since neither of you possess a medium’s power, it won’t be a simple matter….」
With those words, Maximian’s shoulders began to ache seriously, and he couldn’t help but turn around.
“Ease up on the grip! Why is your grip so strong?”
But no matter what Maximian said, Riche kept staring intently toward the elevator shaft as she asked.
“Really… is that truly the case? Then, what are we supposed to do now?”
Before Kelsniti could answer, Maximian spoke first.
“Wait! I think spirits would find it easier to enter a medium’s body, yet those creatures still sought Joshua’s permission. So how does it make sense that they would easily enter people like us who aren’t prepared to accept them at all?”
「The issue is that spirits come in many varieties. Following what the mage Juspian said, the spirits that gathered there this afternoon—those of ‘legion scale’—far exceed the number of those I know. It’s difficult for me to know the full abilities of unfamiliar spirits. This is not a matter to overlook. Some of them may have followed Joshua here. However, paradoxically, because Joshua is present, you are safer. They will primarily want to make contact with Joshua first.」
Maximian sensed something in Kelsniti’s words, particularly in the phrase ‘those I know,’ and spoke.
“But here’s the thing—those spirits called you their Priest. Is that true? If it is, what does that mean?”
Kelsniti’s voice, when it came a moment later, was unusually stiff.
「They said that?」
“Yes. Were they lying?”
「No. They weren’t lying. But it’s surprising that she would say such a thing.」
“She? Are you talking about the spirit woman’s voice that spoke to me? Do you know who she is?”
「I do. It must have been Corbel. If she intended to deceive you, it could only be her. How unfortunate. She has rendered my long efforts meaningless. Because of her urging, Joshua opened a gateway for hundreds of spirits to come and go.」
He seemed to pause mid-sentence. Maximian was glancing around when suddenly, with a click, the elevator shaft opened.
“Joshua?”
Riche, thinking perhaps another spirit had appeared, pressed down on Maximian’s shoulder once more, but upon seeing who had emerged, she barely managed to stop. Though pale enough that one might have called him ghostly without spirits nearby, it was unmistakably Joshua.
“Is it okay to wake up already?”
Just moments before, she had been thinking it might be fine if he didn’t wake up yet, but somehow that’s what came out first. Joshua closed the elevator shaft and, like Kelsniti had done earlier, sat beside it and offered a smile.
“I’m fine. And I seem to be hungry.”
Then he turned his head toward the main mast and nodded.
“Kelce is here too.”
Riche, seized by an inexplicable sense of unease, hid behind Maximian and merely peeked out. After all, Joshua was casually greeting someone she couldn’t see. Of course, Joshua’s expression became flustered the moment he realized Riche was present.
“Ah, so Kelce means….”
「I’ve already greeted Avril, troublemaker.」
“Why troublemaker again? What’s wrong with you?”
“I went to such lengths to prevent it, and yet you’ve gone ahead and summoned every last Spirit. I’m sure you’ll manage splendidly from here on. My advice simply goes in one ear and out the other, doesn’t it?”
Kelsniti Meed was excessively formal when conversing with Riche or Maximian, but with Joshua it was entirely different. Joshua merely smiled wryly.
“It was a mistake, Kelce. Just like when I first met you. I had no idea that girl was a Spirit. If I hadn’t known that household had a daughter, I might have been suspicious.”
“A mistake? It’s not just that one incident. I heard you directly told the Spirits to ‘enter into me’—did you understand how dangerous that was?”
“Ah, of course I didn’t.”
Joshua seemed about to say something more, then swallowed it back. There was undoubtedly some reason he had permitted the summoning, yet seeing him wear such an innocent expression—like a child caught stealing candy and playing dumb—was utterly exasperating.
“Listen, Joshua. Do you think this matter is trivial? I don’t. There seem to be many secrets in what happened today that you’re unaware of. We need to understand them if we’re to resolve this, don’t we?”
As Maximian spoke, his eyes narrowed, piercing toward an invisible opponent. He was deliberating how to piece together the doubts lingering in his mind. Finally, he turned to Kelsniti Meed.
“I need an honest answer. You—haven’t you been hiding something important all this time? From me, and certainly from Joshua too. I have the distinct feeling that at least parts of what you’ve told us were lies. Just tell me clearly: what’s truth and what’s falsehood?”
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 the contents of this book, 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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