Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 451

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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 221.
The Face of an Angel and
the Blood Flowing Through a Demon’s Heart (30)
“Thank you for including yourself. How humble of you. Shall we go then?”
Maximian’s expression was clearly reluctant. As they emerged from the Graveyard, Kelsniti spoke.
「Well, the order has changed, but shall we go bathe for a moment?」
Joshua responded with visible delight.
“Yes, please. Any longer and I’ll become pickled jerky.”
Watching color return to Joshua’s face, Maximian smirked.
“Very unappetizing jerky at that—all bone and no meat.”
Maximian had not been averse to bathing either. Yet the place Kelsniti led them to was neither the Sacred Spring nor the River he had anticipated. When Joshua saw the well that jutted abruptly between two vacant houses, his expression fell.
“Just a well?”
「That much water is more than enough to wash thoroughly. The River is too far. We must find the tomb before sunset.」
Even Maximian tapped the bucket experimentally before speaking.
“There’s nowhere to submerge ourselves? We’re rather particular beggars, you see.”
「If you wish to descend into the well and swim, I won’t stop you. However, you must consider how to climb back out yourselves.」
“Oh, Kelce. That’s quite a cold response.”
“My shoulders nearly dislocated from rowing, and now I’m drawing water? Once this is over, I could take work as a servant somewhere.”
Drawing water with the bucket and pouring it over each other in turns should have been simple enough, but fate had other plans. Neither could say who started it, but the moment the bucket was hauled up, one of them splashed the other’s face, and thus the so-called “bucket war” erupted. While one wound the pulley, the other watched intently, and when the bucket rose, they would snatch it quickly. The loser would flee from the deluge. It should have ended once they were reasonably clean, but as is common with youths their age, the bucket war escalated into recklessness, turning the area around the well into a flood with no sign of stopping.
「Stop this at once! The sun is setting!」
Only when Kelsniti cried out like a guardian herding two mischievous children did they finally calm down. Though they looked like drowned rats, both felt refreshed. Nearly in unison, they kicked the bucket back into the well, then retrieved fresh clothes from their packs and changed. As Maximian scratched his wet hair, he spoke suddenly.
“Can we really afford to be this carefree?”
Joshua wrung out his dripping hair with a slight laugh.
“It will all be over soon.”
“I doubt it. Will it really end? I somehow can’t believe it.”
Though Joshua said the wet clothes could be discarded, Maximian disagreed and wrung them out roughly before stuffing them into his pack. They resumed walking. As Maximian walked, he glanced at Joshua’s expression and yawned as if anticipating what he would say. Joshua spoke.
“If we hadn’t parted ways in Kotzboldt and had stayed together all this time, wouldn’t we be playing just like this now?”
“That never happened. We’re no longer the little ones from the rotten Pasture.”
“We could go back. It doesn’t have to be Kotzboldt. We don’t need to become children again, but we could return.”
“We could. But since I sold that Pasture with my own money just now, you can return to the Pasture in your mind. As for me, I think I’d be satisfied with being invited there only occasionally.”
During an hour of walking, they passed several more vacant houses. Yet no matter how generously one looked at it, they seemed less like part of a village and more like isolated mountain lodges. As they emerged from the mixed woodland that had sloped continuously, a broad Rocky Plateau appeared. The terrain resembled a stone platter, jutting out abruptly toward the open Sea in the distance. Kelsniti walked to the edge of the Rocky Plateau and gestured.
「This way.」
“One of us can see where ‘this way’ leads, but the other is blind to it.”
「It appears to be the most dangerous location.」
“Are you telling me to jump?”
「Precisely.」
Watching where Joshua positioned himself, Maximian muttered.
“Damn, he wasn’t joking.”
Fortunately, his fear of a Cliff proved unfounded. Standing at that spot and looking down, he saw another, broader Rocky Plateau. It was bleached white as if drained of color. Watching Kelsniti descend in the manner only a Spirit could, Joshua shrank his neck.
“I don’t have the skill to walk through empty air.”
“Didn’t you hear what Kelce said earlier? We’re supposed to jump down.”
With that, Maximian actually jumped. It wasn’t particularly high—barely taller than a man—but considering the Rocky Plateau’s edge dropped off into a Cliff, and beyond that lay the Sea, it was quite a bold descent. When it came to Joshua’s turn, he turned around and jumped backward, taking a step in reverse. Maximian, watching from below, spoke up.
“Is that better? Doesn’t look like it to me.”
“At least you can’t see the Cliff. There’s no chance of accidentally jumping too far.”
“Right. Since you can’t see it, it feels exactly like committing suicide, doesn’t it? You really are strange in the head. That’s why I said I didn’t want to go to that Pasture.”
Just inside the Rocky Plateau, a black entrance yawned open. Because the rock was pale, it resembled the eye socket of an enormous skull.
At first glance, it seemed like a Cave, but that was only the entrance. After walking in for dozens of steps, the space suddenly opened up, and I could see that lights were burning in this place that had been empty for nearly a century. Moreover, they were gilded lamps mounted on the walls. The light was dim, but it illuminated the contours of the inner walls well enough.
There was a Staircase descending ahead. Though spacious, it consisted of only five steps. Each step bore distinct images and symbols inlaid as if painted by brush. The images used only black, various shades of yellow, and pale orange. The walls themselves had a sandy, yellowish hue. On either side of the Staircase were rectangular stones whose purpose seemed unclear—they didn’t appear designed for sitting.
Below the Staircase stood a massive Stone Door, nearly twice our height, sealed shut. Curved Corridors extended from both sides of the door, wrapping inward, their ends disappearing from view.
Maximian glanced around and spoke.
“This is more oppressive than I imagined. Why decorate it like this?”
「For these people, it must have been a precious source of magic. It was the wellspring of power that allowed everyone to use magic as naturally as if born with it. Showing reverence seemed only fitting.」
Joshua nodded and continued the thought.
“That makes sense, but how do we open this door? I don’t see any mechanism. Is this really the way in?”
「Probably, but I’ve never been inside myself.」
“Wait, so Kelce has only ever come this far?”
「Anarose wouldn’t meet with me or Icabon.」
Joshua and Maximian studied each other’s faces in the dim lamplight. Their expressions were exactly as expected.
“Damn it, what are we supposed to do? Do we have to smash through that Stone Door to find his tomb?”
“Calm down, Maximian. We’re not Icabon and Kelsniti, who came looking for Anarose in hiding.”
“Then what? Where is the tomb we’re looking for? Is it somewhere up on that Rocky Plateau or something?”
“Not exactly, but… shall we at least explore that Corridor?”
I deliberated over which direction to take, but soon adopted an attitude of indifference and turned right, which was slightly closer. After circling halfway around, I reached what should have been the meeting point with the left Corridor, but instead it suddenly bent to the right and connected to a descending Staircase.
“If we’d taken the left Corridor earlier, would we have found an ascending Staircase?”
“Probably.”
“If it were me, I’d connect the two Corridors first, then attach the up and down Staircases from there. Not to mess with anyone. Who built this stupid structure?”
“Perhaps it was designed as a defense against intruders.”
“If it was designed to confuse intruders, then it’s effective.”
“Right. And we’re the intruders.”
In any case, since we’d come this way, we decided to descend the Staircase leading downward. After patiently descending quite a long Spiral Staircase, a Chamber finally appeared. Across from the Chamber, a passage continued underground.
The lamps were dim and sparse, making it difficult to see far. All I could discern was that something seemed to be drawn on the arched ceiling. With no other choice, I entered the passage and walked a few steps before noticing an Iron Cage lowered over a Chamber to the right. The interior was too dark to see.
“This might just be me.”
When Maximian spoke, Joshua hesitated before responding.
“It might not be just you.”
“You see it too?”
“Yeah… something just moved.”
Something in the Chamber was moving. Soon it stopped again. We both stared intently inside, but failed to identify what it was. It made no sound. That made it impossible to imagine. Yet it was definitely there. Something very large and very black.
“This is unsettling.”
“Could it be some kind of guard dog…?”
“If it’s a dog, it must be enormous. Besides, what has it been eating all this time to survive? You said there were no people left here.”
Joshua glanced back and suddenly called out.
“Kelce? Where did he go? I wanted to ask him something.”
“Wait, hold on. Kelce isn’t with us right now?”
“It seems like he isn’t.”
“It seems like he isn’t? That’s not good! Are you telling me we’re standing face to face with some unknown beast with only an iron cage between us—no guide, no spirit, just you and me?”
“When did you get so comfortable relying on the spirit’s guidance? You were so reluctant when I first introduced him.”
“This is no time for that! Call him back now. When did he disappear? He should at least report before leaving, not just vanish without a word like this—”
“Lower your voice. Don’t you think you’re agitating it? The cage looks sturdy enough, but still.”
Both their gazes snapped toward the iron cage. After a moment, Maximian spoke.
“I mentioned earlier that there was no one to feed that thing down here, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“Then… that creature couldn’t possibly be locked up!”
They bolted back the way they came almost simultaneously. It took less than a minute to traverse the Spiral Staircase. They burst into the Corridor and only when they reached the Stone Door at the very beginning did they finally exhale in ragged gasps.
“Hah, huff—hey, down there, can we block it somehow?”
“Wheeze, phew—there wasn’t even a door.”
Both remained intensely alert, watching beyond the curved Corridor, but no pursuing shadow appeared. Even as more time passed, there was not the slightest sound. As their hearts settled, they realized they had frightened themselves, having never even gotten a clear look at what was in that cage.
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 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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