Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 433

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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 203.
The Face of an Angel and
the Blood Flowing Through a Demon’s Heart (12)
Chloe rose to her feet as the two exchanged greetings. Baroness Castello bowed to Yien and departed first, opening the way forward. Their gazes followed her retreating figure as she left the Terrace and entered the Banquet Hall. Chloe passed through the gathered crowd and moved to the very front, offering a light greeting to the hostess before taking her seat at the white piano. She opened the sheet music, then slipped her bracelet off and placed it on the piano’s edge. The diamond-cut aquamarine cast a soft blue pattern across the instrument’s surface.
The Young Duke approached the piano and first brought his lips to the back of Chloe’s hand in greeting. There were no words exchanged. As the piano began to sing, the Young Duke did not stand formally but instead rested his hand lightly upon its side. His effortless voice opened the first verse—an ancient folk song about one’s mother.
The gentle breeze at the window
and the song of the nightingale,
the cherry blossom branches
and May’s sunlight are like my mother.
The piano provided accompaniment with a soft touch, yet its execution was flawless. When the first verse ended, only the gentle sound of the keys continued. Occasional coughs punctuated the silence.
Everyone gathered here had heard tales of the Young Duke’s singing. A select few had even witnessed performances by the old Mona Sid School Choir. Yet memories were merely memories; no one knew how the Young Duke sang now that he had grown into a young man. In ordinary conversation, he was not the sort to possess a mellifluous voice that could captivate his listener. Rather, there was a cynical smoothness that suited dark humor. But the moment he stepped onto a stage to recite lines and sing—the moment he intended to do so—his voice became something transcendent. Every light, every sensation seemed to swell like wind through flame, burning brilliant.
The song the Young Duke sang was one everyone knew, and its melody was so comfortable that there were no passages demanding virtuosic display. Yet his voice flowed seamlessly, sometimes naturally weaving in rough consonants, freely shifting where notes were cut and connected, transforming even sighs, smiles, and silences into part of the composition. Eyes could not leave his fingertips, could not leave his every expression. They laughed with his smile and were transfixed by his gaze.
At last the song ended and the piano fell silent. After a moment of stillness, as though suddenly awakening, applause poured forth. When Chloe lifted her hands from the keys and rose, the Young Duke smiled at her first before acknowledging the crowd. The two standing side by side was even more striking. It was a sight impossible to look away from.
“I think I’m beginning to understand what Demonic means,” Yien said quietly, turning to look at Lanji.
Lanji tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the two figures beside the piano. After a subtle pause, his response came.
“What do you mean?”
“There was… magic in the song.”
After speaking, Yien himself felt a bit embarrassed and let out a small laugh. He hadn’t expected agreement, yet surprisingly, a response came.
“Indeed there was.”
Lanji straightened his posture from where he’d been leaning against his chair. He then surveyed the other people in the Banquet Hall. As the enchanted atmosphere began to fade, Yien felt a pang of reflection and spoke.
“Ah, this shouldn’t be happening.”
Lanji shook his head.
“No. The capacity to feel beauty is important. Just as flowers and forests are beautiful, so too are songs and people. Creating a world where art doesn’t exist isn’t the goal.”
This was an opinion Lanji rarely expressed, so Yien tilted his head in confusion before responding.
“That’s a fair point, but hearing it from you rather than from Giscar somehow doesn’t feel real. Ah, don’t take offense. But I’ve never met anyone less swayed by emotion than you. You know why I’m saying this.”
Lanji turned his body toward Yien.
“No. Even I find my own thoughts strange today. I don’t know why. But beauty that even someone like me can feel—shouldn’t it be excluded from any ideal world? That’s what occurred to me.”
As Yien’s eyes widened, Lanji continued.
“Only that priorities must exist.”
Yien finally smiled.
“Yes, that addendum is what makes it sound like you.”
Rather than smile in return, Lanji turned his gaze back toward the piano.
“Of course, another thought occurred to me. Doesn’t today’s event smell like someone orchestrated it with care?”
“Ah… well, it’s not something that would happen easily, is it?”
As Yien nodded in agreement, Lanji organized his thoughts.
“Pontina’s daughter performs, Arnim’s son sings, and two people of picture-perfect beauty stand side by side in greeting. Aside from the excellence of the performance and song, it was a spectacle that could only be effective. The audience consists of Keltika’s highest nobility. What was the scriptwriter aiming for?”
“The two of them—could there be plans to have them marry?”
Lanji paused briefly before answering.
“I wouldn’t say the possibility is entirely nonexistent.”
“Hmm, if it were to happen, that would be quite the spectacle… or rather, quite a serious matter.”
They were the ones who had devised a plan to drive a wedge between the two ducal houses and pin the accusation of murder on one side by the other. As Lanji shook off the lingering echo of the performance, his mind began to race as well.
“Right. We could arrange a marriage if we wanted to, but let’s set that aside for now. The people who witnessed this spectacle today will have a much improved impression of both families, won’t they? And won’t they come to believe that the bond between the two houses is strong? After that, if our mission succeeds later, there will be far fewer people suspecting Duke Pontina. If the two ducal houses truly resolve to stand together, that becomes an even bigger problem. What do you think? Is it likely that the two Dukes will choose coexistence instead of constantly watching for opportunities to rule alone?”
“Low, but I can’t say it’s impossible. Duke Pontina has an older son, but he might decide to leave everything to the married couple. Still, the probability remains low.”
Yien asked while reasoning it through himself.
“Why is that?”
“If we compare the two houses right now, which one holds the advantage?”
“Surely it would be Pontina’s side?”
“Exactly. But this plan would likely become a disadvantageous deal for Pontina’s side. To outsiders, both appear remarkable, but from their perspective, nothing means anything unless they rise above the other. Would Duke Pontina, who currently holds the advantage, truly find appeal in a plan that lowers his position?”
“The child born would inherit Arnim Castle, wouldn’t it?”
“Duke Arnim wouldn’t concede that.”
Yien nodded in agreement.
“Then why create this spectacle today?”
“In my opinion.”
Lanji looked back toward the banquet hall. People surrounded the Young Duke and Chloe, each eager to speak with them. The dancing would begin soon. The two would likely become the first pair to dance together. The crowd would grow even more enthusiastic about such a rare sight…
“It seems likely that word of our movements has reached Duke Pontina’s ears. Given how they’ve orchestrated such a difficult plan as this. We’ll need to reexamine all the Nightwalk operations connected to that side. We should also find out who first proposed today’s events.”
Yien nodded as well, a furrow appearing between his brows.
“It’s unfortunate that Lord Moro isn’t here. I wish we could ask him something.”
“We’ll have to meet with him soon.”
Lanji rose from his seat. Yien asked.
“Are you going to speak with the Young Duke?”
“No. Let’s leave now. Belnor should be arriving soon anyway.”
Yien was taken aback.
“Leave? But today we were supposed to meet the Young Duke and check if there was anything strange about him…”
Yien stopped speaking. His thoughts had caught up with him.
“Ah…”
It was he who had said, after hearing that song today, that he finally understood what Demonic was. Was there any need for suspicion? The Young Duke who sang here today was Demonic. How could he not have realized it, seeing and hearing such power?
“That’s right. The Young Duke here is the real one. It has to be. Then the fake must be…”
Lanji turned at the entrance. As always happened after much thinking, his cheeks and the back of his neck looked pale. With such a face, he shook his head.
“No. He’s the fake.”
6. A Night for Frightening Tales
Welcome, traveler.
On a night like this,
warmed goat’s wine and hot soup are just the thing.
Did you cross over the mountain pass?
Warm your legs by the fire.
They say the poison bugs will flee.
Of course, it’s only folklore.
Has your spirits lifted, traveler?
Shall I sing you a song?
Don’t worry—no payment is necessary.
We lack for nothing.
Well, there is one thing we’re missing.
But our guest will provide it soon enough, so we’re not worried.
You want to know what it is?
I can only tell you that once the night grows deeper….
On the fourth day, somewhere upon the sea a day’s journey from Sunset Island, the Altena—a Periwinkle-registered vessel carrying seventeen capable sailors, two navigators, one captain, and three people utterly useless for sailing—was not moving. The phrase “was not moving” meant precisely that: it had ceased its forward progress.
The weather was fair, provisions were ample, and the wind was moderate. The only obstacle was the falling darkness. Under ordinary circumstances, night would pose no great concern, but as the rocky Sunset Island drew nearer, the surrounding waters transformed into a treacherous reef-strewn maze. Though still manageable for now, the capricious squalls that frequently swept through meant the ship could be driven dangerously off course in an instant; thus it was safer to furl the sails after nightfall. Even so, the vessel would drift slowly with the current, though not enough to venture into truly perilous waters. The sailors and captain were men intimate with the currents that flowed around the Icabon Archipelago.
Before the sun vanished, a lamp suspended from the mast swayed slowly through the gathering darkness.
Five sailors remained awake. Adding one navigator and the three useless passengers made nine. In other words, nine souls had gathered on the upper deck, resolved to play through until dawn. The watch sailors took turns climbing to the crow’s nest to keep lookout, and one seasoned sailor periodically patrolled the ship’s interior, so roughly seven people remained clustered together at any given time.
Until sunset, the sailors had played several rounds of cards according to the village rules they championed. As darkness made the cards difficult to see, they had just begun switching to a different game.
“Well then, next person.”
“Neville, you’re up.”
A young sailor called Neville cleared his throat with a low rumble and began speaking in a measured tone.
“This actually happened to my sister when I was four years old. She would have been thirteen then…. Now, just hearing this story might not seem so frightening, but when you realize the same thing happened to our mother and grandmother, the feeling changes completely, you understand? Here’s how it went….”
Maximian crossed his heels and propped his elbows on his knees, resting his chin atop his hands in an intricate posture, his head tilted at an angle. Riche had already begun clenching and unclenching her fists, preparing to cover her mouth before the real story even began. Joshua absently placed his left index finger at the corner of his mouth, his head bowed as he traced something on the deck with his finger. Without chalk in hand and with the darkness surrounding them, the image was indecipherable.
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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