Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 470

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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 240.
Playing Oneself (16)
From the Beauty’s Pinnacle, hidden in the shadow of three galleys, nothing could be seen of what appeared to the west. Before anyone could even recognize it, the sound came.
Boom! Crash!
The thunderous roar that split heaven and earth deafened everyone’s ears. It was not just once. The sea churned and the masts tilted. Crash! Crash! As if lightning had struck, the bow split open. Splintered wood scattered like flower petals. People tangled together and fell into the sea. A whip-like spray of water lashed the gunwale. Crash!
Those crowded at the galley’s gunwale fell downward before they could even comprehend what was happening. Those on the Beauty’s Pinnacle’s deck also rolled across the floor. Joshua, gripping the auxiliary sail rope connected to the tilted mast, watched the ship before his eyes crumble like a mirage. Smoke rose. Fire broke out on another galley.
Finally, as the main mast snapped, it split the remaining ship’s wreckage in two. An enormous wave rose and covered the Beauty’s Pinnacle, but thanks to the iron chains connecting it to the other two ships, it remained upright and unharmed. As the galley began to sink, something appeared beyond it. The outline of a ship. Close… or rather, far away. It was a ship so enormous that one could easily mistake the distance.
The Beauty’s Pinnacle should have been drawn into the whirlpool created by the collapsing galley because of the connecting iron chains, but this time, the chains had somehow snapped. Soon Joshua saw smoke rising from the cannons that lined both sides of the approaching ship in two tiers. He had never seen a ship carrying so many cannons before.
The bombardment was not yet finished. The cannons fired again in succession, spewing fire and thunder. The cannonballs aimed at the second galley struck the main mast precisely. The second and third shots did not miss either. It was precision aiming so accurate that one could hardly believe it was happening on the open sea.
The second galley was half-destroyed. Those who fell into the sea were sometimes swept up by the sinking ship’s debris, but a considerable number clung to the last remaining ship. They grasped oars and climbed aboard, and several ropes were thrown. However, in truth, most of those on the last ship were examining their sails. What they were searching for was a mark.
“A ship bearing the mark of the Key cannot escape…”
Those who were somewhat more composed cut the chains connecting the Beauty’s Pinnacle and turned the ship to mount a counterattack. But the unfamiliar ship, catching a weak wind, approached with surprising speed. Continuously, until they collided head-on.
“Ahhhhh…”
With an incomprehensible war cry, the gunwales of the two ships collided, flinging countless fragments into the air. The unfamiliar ship, with its gunwale wrapped in iron plates and iron rivets, sustained little damage. Those on the galley also summoned their strength and cried out. Grappling! Now it was close combat. They had escaped the mark. They could demonstrate their skill.
Those who climbed up from the other galley also rushed to the gunwale in competition. The ship tilted to one side from the weight. Where the two gunwales met, the crews of both sides also clashed. The first sparks flew. Sunlight reflected off blades darted about like white insects. After one tangle, those who fell were cast into the sea to become part of the broken ship.
In the sea where the massive ships were entangled, the Beauty’s Pinnacle was a bystander. When Joshua heard Maximian’s voice from behind, the tension that had filled his entire body strangely dissipated.
“Isn’t that your ship?”
“No.”
Maximian held up his glasses, which had turned white from the sunlight, and looked upward. His eyes were not visible, so there was no way to discern his expression.
“I know.”
“You do?”
At first, it was difficult to judge superiority and inferiority. But as time passed, it became clear that the galley’s crew did not follow orders well. Soon after, the crew that poured out from the unfamiliar ship mostly transferred to the galley. Even after that, hundreds upon hundreds continued to pour out. Joshua did not know the individual skill of each one, but the flow became increasingly clear. When both sides were pirates, the galley’s pirates ignored orders and fought as they pleased, whereas the new ship’s crew moved like trained soldiers, each one disciplined. Joshua spotted one figure who stood out among them.
A commander. He held a curved sword high, encouraging the crew. He wore a black captain’s hat and a worn naval jacket. He had felled a few enemies who came close, but he did not stand at the very front. He could not, for he was an old man. White hair tied behind his hat sometimes fluttered. As all the crew around him rushed forward, the old captain turned toward Joshua. The moment their eyes met, the captain’s hand rose to his hat brim. He grasped the end and lifted it slightly to show it.
Before Joshua could even realize it himself, the words escaped his lips like a dream.
“Grandfather?”
8. The Sea Prison
I wish for you to bathe and dress in fine clothes.
I wish for you to light hundreds of candles and wait through the night.
Before the door, scatter flowers and poison, pour perfume and oil,
Tear dozens of bolts of white silk and hang flags of supplication,
Place sword and bow within reach and lay your pillow toward Moro,
So that at the sound of an insect’s wings you leap up,
And when at last you see my face and hear my voice,
Meet me with a pounding heart as if entering the bridal chamber.
I, who am called thus, cannot be overcome by thought alone.
Before the bonfire in Kotzboldt, Hispania once told an old story. It was from his youth. He had mingled with the Mercenary Band of Recordable and become entangled in an accident they caused, ending up imprisoned together. Hispania himself was innocent, so if he explained well, he would be released. The interrogation was scheduled for the next day. In the narrow prison, mixed among the mercenaries, he lay down on straw to sleep, but in the middle of the night his throat became parched and he woke. There was nowhere to get water in the prison, so he endured it, tossing and turning, when he noticed something strange about the surroundings. He sat up and only then understood the reason. They were lying down, but in truth they were all awake. He was the only one who could sleep peacefully.
That night, Hispania led them and escaped from the prison. So he too became a wanted man just like the mercenaries.
“Well, I figured the Old Man could have his Family Clan back him up, so he probably thought he could clear a little thing like a bounty whenever he felt like it, right?”
Maximian immediately retorted,
“You fool, back in those days I wasn’t even in contact with my Elder Brother!”
“How could he not? If anything urgent comes up, we’re all in contact anyway.”
“Maximian, watch the back of your head—it’s in danger.”
Hispanie cried out as his swing missed, Maximian having dodged away just in time.
“You brat!”
Was this the first time since those days? The three of us gathered in one place.
Grandfather struck Maximian squarely on the back of the head—before he could dodge away quickly enough.
“You fool! I sent you all the way to Hyacan, and when you learn something, shouldn’t you send word? Are you just keeping it all to yourself?”
“Ah, Old Man, really! If I’d had time to contact anyone, I wouldn’t be doing this in the first place!”
“Don’t make excuses!”
“And you’re one to talk, arriving so terribly late.”
“Be grateful I came at all, you wretch!”
Joshua managed to interject at last.
“But Grandfather… you even have a ship like this, so…”
Hispanie turned to Joshua with a slight smile.
“What, doesn’t it suit me?”
“No, I’m just truly amazed.”
In truth, Maximian shared the astonishment. Hispanie had often regaled them with tales of his younger days—what he’d done with the Mercenary Band, how he’d wandered across the Continent—but now that he was an old man, I had thought of him merely as a vagabond or perhaps the owner of a decrepit pasture. That he should be a captain commanding such a massive armed vessel, well-trained sailors, or rather pirates, was something I could never have imagined. So Hispanie, too, was a pirate captain according to his family’s tradition.
Milestone spoke as well, his expression one of admiration.
“I’ve heard tales of the Key’s Mark, but I never thought I’d actually board such a ship. I’d only heard rumors that vessels bearing the mark are destroyed without mercy.”
At that, Maximian narrowed his eyes and smirked.
“You borrowed it?”
The second crisis was averted with a light bow of the head. Hispanie soon burst into hearty laughter.
“That’s right. I pawned the pasture and borrowed it. Now I’ll have to work you to the bone for the rest of your life to pay back the debt.”
Maximian’s demeanor changed instantly.
“No, Captain, why are you like this? We all know the situation.”
“Starting today, you’re cleaning the cabin!”
Maximian looked around for a way to change the subject, and spotted Riche standing wide-eyed among the sailors.
“Ah, that one there—her name is Riche, isn’t it…”
At that moment, Joshua was thinking along similar lines and was about to open his mouth to address Grandfather. The two spoke almost simultaneously.
“She’s a young lady we have to take responsibility for.”
“She’s a young lady who takes responsibility for us.”
Then, at the same time, they asked the same question.
“What did you just say?”
Hispanie looked at Riche. Riche, flustered, quickly exclaimed.
“My being here was purely an accident!”
Hispanie stared at Riche, then turned to the two boys, and looked back at Riche as he spoke.
“Quite the accident you’ve made, then.”
“Y-you’re absolutely right!”
“Expressing condolences, are we.”
“Thank you!”
Maximian spoke.
“We communicate better than when we’re actually introducing ourselves.”
Upon hearing this, Riche decided she ought to offer a proper greeting after all.
“I’m Riche Avril. I’ve heard much about you during this time… well, actually I haven’t. Who are you?”
Maximian shrugged his shoulders and explained instead.
“Joshua’s Grandfather.”
At that, Riche’s eyes widened.
“Then you’re like Joshua… Demonic?”
Grandfather scanned Riche’s expression, then glared at Joshua.
“It seems your reputation with this young lady is rather deplorable.”
Joshua blinked in confusion several times before responding.
“Well, that’s… Demonic are supposed to abandon such things as reputation anyway.”
“Your poor reputation has tainted mine as well.”
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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