Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 462

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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 232.
Playing Oneself (8)
“….”
Joshua created dimples on both cheeks before finally peering at the first page. After studying the opening measures for a moment, I tried fitting a few suitable melodies in my mind. When one seemed promising, I hummed it aloud. Since this was supposedly a song imbued with magical power, I worried that crafting the proper melody might trigger something immediately—but fortunately or unfortunately, nothing happened.
I could generate several usable melodies in an instant, yet determining which one was correct proved difficult. Even if what felt best to me, the ancient composer might have envisioned something entirely different. There was no guarantee that the beauty of a composition would necessarily draw forth its magic.
Joshua had no writing instrument in hand. I decided I could simply recite the melodies later, so I carefully stored each one that came to mind in my memory.
As the sun rose, the heat intensified. Though I stood with bare feet submerged in the shallow water, never fully entering, it was difficult to feel like I was on vacation. Sweat gradually began beading across my entire body. The summer on the Southern Island was far more scorching than Keltika, and even hotter than Hyacan, where I had spent considerable time.
After dabbing seawater on my forehead with my fingertips, I suddenly glanced back at the ship. Maximian lounging leisurely in the shade of the vessel, dozing away, irritated me.
I could have tilted the boat’s rail and dumped him into the water immediately, but since he didn’t seem to be in deep sleep yet, I decided—true to my Demonic nature—to devise a thorough plan. I deliberately moved away from the ship. Following a bird that seemed to traverse the same path all day, I ventured toward the edge of the sand dunes. Crossing water that reached my calves, I arrived at a small circular dune barely four paces across. I placed an empty box I’d retrieved from the ship and sat facing the sea.
Where the sea and sky met, violet clouds bloomed. Beyond the clouds lay only blue. The sand beneath my feet and the island behind me faded away. I felt as though I floated alone upon the vast sea. Sensing the delicate waves caressing my bare feet, Joshua began studying the score again.
When the moment seemed right, I left the dune and returned to the ship. Knowing that once Maximian fell asleep, he wouldn’t wake from ordinary disturbances, I had little need for caution. After removing the stone that had kept the vessel from drifting, I grasped the rail and pushed the ship out to sea. As I did so, I recalled the time I had wound him up completely while he lay in a rope hammock, and I laughed silently to myself.
Maximian awoke around the time Joshua on the beach had become no larger than a finger. Easygoing as he was, waking to find himself in the middle of the sea was no small shock. In fact, he nearly capsized the boat as he lurched upright.
“Hey, you… spat-out cinnamon stick of a bastard!”
The sea was so extraordinarily calm—as it had been when we arrived the previous day—that there was no danger of drifting away or failing to return. Joshua had calculated as much before playing this prank. Yet there was only one way for him to come back.
Maximian rowed desperately toward the beach, unleashing every curse that came to mind. Of course, Joshua couldn’t hear him. Though I could guess what he was doing, what did it matter if I couldn’t hear? By the time I turned to the third page, I even kindly waved my hand.
“Hey, Maximian! Over here! You’re almost there, so keep going!”
The man called “Milestone” throughout Periwinkle Island seemed to enjoy taking walks.
Rising early each morning, he first went to the harbor. After leisurely observing the ships at the docks and exchanging idle pleasantries with the people there, he began walking along the coastline. By the time the sun beat down harshly on his head, he reached the Pearl Farm. He wandered about observing it as though he were an inspector, listened to the cultivators’ grievances and talk of yesterday’s rain shower, and by then it was time for lunch.
Someone among the cultivators—the only retinue of the Young Duke remaining on the island—naturally felt obliged to offer lunch. After eating at their home, he set out again. He met coral harvesters, visited the Lapis Lazuli Mine, and by the time afternoon arrived for tea and light pastries, he appeared at the Market. Standing beside an oil-scented cart, he exchanged a few words with a fried bread vendor, obtained a piece of bread, and from the farmer beside him who had flour sacks stacked nearby, he took a sip of lukewarm brandy from the flask at his back. Throughout, he never failed to ask questions.
“So everything that passes through this market is taxed, then?”
“Well now, even if we’re told to sell just a scrap of fried bread, we can’t do it without the permit that comes out in our Duke’s name.”
“That sounds difficult.”
“What’s difficult about it? His Highness collects taxes like that and gives it back to us, builds our homes, grinds our grain for free, and brings a doctor when our children are sick—that’s what it means. You couldn’t imagine such a thing anywhere else on the Continent.”
Milestone nodded silently. Soon after leaving that place, he appeared in the village as the evening sun began to set. At the entrance, he encountered Richard Fell returning from the Maritime Guild.
“Making your rounds again today, I see.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Walking like that every day must be tiring.”
“Ah, yes. Quite so.”
“The Young Duke must have something he wants observed when he arrives.”
“Ah, yes.”
The two parted ways. Richard Fell watched Milestone’s figure disappear before turning toward the administrative residence. By then, dusk had deepened. After passing through the entrance and entrusting his hat to a servant, just as he was about to enter the Reception Room, someone knocked loudly on the door.
“At this hour….”
With a complaint forming on my lips as I moved toward the entrance, the servant had already opened the door, and Dulcia rushed into the Reception Room, her breath coming in gasps.
Richard Fell had a habit of becoming oddly composed when faced with such people.
“Has something occurred at this hour?”
“His Highness’s ship has entered the Docks!”
The Young Duke had said he would arrive today, tomorrow, or perhaps the day after—if he didn’t come, that would be strange, so what was there to… I started to say, but swallowed the words instead. Dulcia and others like her were the sort who could spend an entire day simply talking about the Young Duke, so perhaps they could be moved to joy at his ship’s return. I tried to think generously.
“We must prepare a celebration!”
“At this hour?”
Muttering the same phrase for the third time, I reflected silently that ever since the Young Duke appeared, everyone seemed to have stowed their common sense as a healthy citizen in their bedroom closet before leaving. Though truthfully, I should have anticipated this from the moment that ship came flying.
“The day has grown late, Your Highness. Would it not be perfectly acceptable to hold the welcome banquet tomorrow instead?”
“His Majesty says he will be departing urgently for the Continent tomorrow. Since we failed to prepare in advance, tomorrow will be consumed with preparations for the long voyage, and therefore the celebration must take place tonight.”
The Administrator could not help himself and finally furrowed his brow.
“The Young Duke’s comings and goings are his own to decide, so it is not our place to comment. However, before his last departure to Sunset Island, he gave no advance notice that he would leave immediately upon returning, so it was only natural that we could not prepare beforehand. Of course, we must do our best, but ultimately we cannot accomplish everything. Compared to preparing for a long voyage, a banquet is a secondary matter. Above all, is it truly acceptable to tire someone who departs tomorrow?”
The Administrator delivered a lengthy speech for the first time in ages, yet Dulcia merely laughed brightly without hesitation or shrinking back.
“If it were merely an ordinary welcome party as you say, Administrator, your words would be correct. But word has spread that there will be a major announcement—how could we simply sit and listen?”
“A major announcement? At this hour?”
“Of course, the formal announcement may come tomorrow, but now that we have caught wind of it, we cannot simply sit idle and wait!”
“Then what exactly is this announcement?”
Dulcia’s face broke into a radiant smile.
“Why, the Young Duke has become engaged!”
At that very moment, the three who had disembarked from the Altena found themselves bewildered by the sudden applause surrounding them.
“Could they be clapping because people who seemed unlikely to return safely from the sea have actually come back?”
Riche scratched her nose and muttered, but Joshua shook his head.
“If that’s not it, then perhaps everything the Young Duke does receives applause—he ate pea soup with a spoon, and everyone claps! Something like that?”
This time Maximian shook his head. Riche then sighed, rubbed her chin, hunched her shoulders, and tapped the ground lightly with one foot as she spoke softly.
“Then there’s only one possibility left.”
While Joshua moved to grab the applauding people and ask what was happening, Maximian turned to Riche instead.
“What is it?”
“You certainly know where to find the answer.”
Riche rose on her toes to whisper in Maximian’s ear. After listening to a few words while he graciously lowered his head, Maximian spoke without any particular change of expression.
“I simply thought it would be faster to ask an attendant.”
“Why am I still your—no, that’s not the point! Who told you to answer that! Hurry and help me manage this situation.”
“Well, the culprit is…”
Maximian glanced around and pointed at random with his chin.
“The one who jumped off the ship first with the rope!”
Though the process differed, Joshua had also arrived at the answer. Instead of panicking, Joshua began to giggle. Then he turned to Riche.
Riche’s face reddened for no apparent reason as she cried out.
“It’s not my fault! I said it wasn’t true a hundred times over, but these people wouldn’t listen, so when we returned to the harbor, if I heard that rumor even one more time, I… that is… I said I would cut the rigging!”
“That was an extremely dangerous threat.”
Joshua continued laughing. Maximian chimed in from beside him.
“So they stayed quiet until we entered the harbor, and the moment we arrived, they spread the rumor all over town. Those sailors certainly know how to follow orders.”
“Are you two really going to keep this up? Don’t ruin a perfectly good lady’s marriage prospects—just tell them you picked that pinwheel flower or whatever on the way back because you were bored!”
“But I didn’t pick it because I was bored.”
The people who had been applauding were listening intently to the Young Duke’s conversation. The moment these words left Joshua’s lips, the crowd stirred and burst into fresh applause.
“Ah, you… right now… then… what…”
As Riche stammered, unable to find her words, a new group arrived at the docks. Richard Fell and—contrary to what one might expect from his temperament—about a dozen women. As they pushed through the crowd and reached Joshua, one woman cried out.
“Absolutely not! Your Highness, we cannot accept this!”
Children of Rune – Winterer
Author: Jeon Min-hee
Published by: 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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