Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 509

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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 279.
Beneath the Almond Tree (22)
“….”
“Since the man we intended to punish has already fallen into the Kingdom 8th Army’s hands, we can simply let them handle it without dirtying our own hands? Or should we somehow extract him and deal with him ourselves?”
Hispania took a long moment before responding.
“It’s not as simple as that, is it?”
“Then are you saying there are other options besides those two?”
“Many.”
“Even if there are many, we don’t have time to deliberate for long. In another ten days or so, he’ll come back as a corpse. Then choices become meaningless….”
“Priscilla.”
Hispania’s voice grew heavy. Priscilla straightened her posture instinctively and answered.
“Yes.”
“What do you make of what we just heard about that man?”
“He’s clever, but unlucky—caught because of someone else’s carelessness.”
Hispania shook his head.
“Not that. The gaps in the story. The missing pieces.”
Priscilla pondered for a long moment before speaking.
“You’re right. If the Kingdom 8th Army is correct and Amaranth is not a Friend of the People, then Arjanson, who was tracked for visiting her, cannot be a Friend of the People either. If anything, the suspicion falls more heavily on Amaranth for hiding him at her villa.”
Hispania nodded and interlaced his fingers.
“I believe Amaranth is a Friend of the People, and Arjanson is not. As you know, three people appeared at the negotiation in this Corner House that day: the negotiator Don Crea, Izian D, and an unnamed female member. Though her face was covered, all the circumstances point to Amaranth.”
“Yes. On the day of the negotiation, Arjanson was in the Southern Region.”
“True. But we cannot rule out the possibility that the woman in question is neither of them. Here another question arises—we already know that Jenas reported the man and Arjanson as lovers, do we not? If so, was Amaranth merely harboring unrequited feelings? And on the night they were captured, why was Amaranth present at the lovers’ reunion? Given that Jenas identified them as lovers, they must have genuinely appeared as such that night.”
“There are certainly inconsistencies. But it’s difficult to be certain based on that alone. However, your purpose isn’t to expose the Friends of the People organization, is it? Sir, it seems you have something else in mind.”
Hispania sank deeper into his chair before answering.
“Yes.”
A knock sounded at the door. Bill entered, handed Priscilla a smoking pipe, gestured toward the person who followed, and stepped aside at the entrance.
It was a young man with a dark complexion. Though his pulled-down hat concealed much, his features unmistakably evoked someone from Recordable. As the man bowed, Hispania spoke.
“Welcome, Kanka. Now let’s fit the final piece into place.”
2. The Dwelling of Secret Words
Child of the new moon, do not sleep.
Run ceaselessly, night and day.
Before the barefoot child chasing behind you
Overtakes and passes you by,
Run farther still, with all your strength.
Grip the dagger in your breast and run.
When at last the barefoot child draws near,
Do not squander your single chance.
Eight days later.
Another ship had traveled the Noagilbert River, passed through Dragon’s Mouth, and entered Keltika. The Noagilbert waterway was the fastest route from the central-southern regions into Keltika. Its only drawback was that it could not be used when traveling south.
Three had departed, but only two returned. There was no time to wait for Maximian to come back from Hyacan. Every measure befitting nobility was deployed—finding the fastest ship, boarding without delay regardless of availability. Nearly everyone who had used the Noagilbert waterway in recent days knew that Arnim Duke had rushed toward Keltika.
However, the moment Joshua arrived at Jineman Manor, he had no chance to greet his parents—nor even to meet the very person he had rushed here to see. Someone else intercepted him. It was Juspian.
“You! Follow me to my chamber! Right now!”
He issued the command and dragged Joshua along by the arm with long, hurried strides. Instead of going willingly, Joshua grabbed Juspian’s arm in return.
“Wait a moment——”
“Wait? Not a chance! Don’t you dare think of going to see that man without listening to me!”
Tichiel, who had rushed over late while unloading luggage from the carriage, saw the scene and immediately seized Joshua’s other arm without even asking why.
“When Father says to go, there’s always a reason. Just come with us.”
Looking like a criminal arrested on the spot, Joshua was dragged all the way to Juspian’s chamber, and the moment the door closed, he was shoved into the corner before he could even sit down.
“You’re going back to Nenyaplo today. Right now.”
Joshua was taken aback.
“But you’re the one who contacted me, and that’s why I rushed here so urgently. You’re telling me to go back?”
“I’m not saying you go alone. Your doppelgänger goes with you.”
Juspian gestured to Tichiel to examine what lay on the table. As she turned toward it, her eyes widened.
“Father, this is——”
It was a large crystal sphere. Or rather, it was a crystal sphere, but it held no transparent radiance. Instead, within swirling red and black currents like those of tourmaline or opal, amber-colored streaks glimmered and tangled. A moment later, Tichiel turned back to Juspian with a tense expression.
“Father!”
“Yes, what does it look like to your eyes?”
“Something frightening has drawn near, hasn’t it? I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Tichiel looked at Joshua.
“That’s what Father calls the ‘Sphere of Power’—it displays an image reflecting the flow of magical energy in the surrounding space. The closer the power, the more clearly it’s reflected.”
The grotesque colors swirling within the sphere filled Joshua with dread. He asked:
“What does that pattern mean?”
“The flow within the sphere is something Father understands through long experience, so I can’t read it perfectly yet. But I do know that when black and red currents overlap like that, there’s a massive collision of magical energy. It means dangerous magic.”
Joshua spoke with a slight frown.
“Surely not all powerful magic is dangerous?”
“Of course not. What we simply call magic or magical energy contains diverse attributes, but since they’re difficult to classify, we understand them as boundless transformations. Even then, there are many exceptions. Instead of saying ‘dangerous,’ we might describe it this way: abruptness, amplification, compression, madness, greed.”
Joshua’s gaze shifted to Juspian. Juspian nodded.
“The Puppet Master has drawn near. He has recovered the influence of his true form.”
“So the doppelgänger has opened its eyes?”
“Indeed.”
Juspian approached the Sphere of Power. The chaotic flows within the crystal seemed much the same as before, yet Joshua detected subtle changes. The red currents had intensified, and the amber hue had darkened.
“In truth, this should be impossible. As the distance from the true form increased and the Puppet Master lost control of the doppelgänger, it was because his magical power was weak. To strengthen it to this degree in such a short time—it should never happen.”
Juspian suddenly slammed his fist on the table.
“No genius could accomplish it! That man has amplified his own magical power tenfold—no, dozens of times over in less than a year! Cursed shard of the Spear!”
Joshua kept his eyes lowered and said nothing. Juspian tapped the Sphere of Power anxiously with his fingertip.
“The Puppet Master cannot reach the doppelgänger if it goes somewhere he cannot touch. Nenyaplo is best. There, ‘Angonina’s Curtain’ is drawn. Even if the Puppet Master calls to the doppelgänger with power dozens of times stronger, he cannot pierce Angonina’s Curtain to issue commands. It’s a magical barrier created by one of the five greatest sorcerers of Ganapoli’s final age. There is no magic in existence that can break through it now.”
“You’re telling me to flee?”
“Do you think there’s another way? The doppelgänger doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to that Puppet Master. It is bound to him! No matter what your doppelgänger thinks, whether it reconciles with you or makes its own resolve—none of it matters. It is a being that cannot resist the commands of the Puppet Master. Tomorrow, or even now, if the Puppet Master’s dominion approaches and paralyzes its mind, it could strangle your neck the moment you meet.”
“I understand that.”
Joshua looked down at the Sphere of Power again. The image had shifted once more. Even if the lines seemed drawn at random, the transformation continued unabated.
“If you understand, then leave without unpacking. Right now the Puppet Master has only restored the connection, but soon he’ll try to issue commands. We don’t have time to waste.”
Joshua lifted his head, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again.
“Do you think he will accept this?”
“Does the Doppelgänger’s opinion seem important to you right now!”
Juspian shouted, but soon shook his head and rubbed his forehead.
“No, well, it might be important, but I can’t guarantee he’ll accept it easily. Of course, even if he objects, you still have to take him with you. By any means necessary—knock him unconscious, stuff him in a coffin, drag him away.”
“But there’s no possibility he’ll kill you. Even if he does, I’ll survive. You’re someone who wants to keep the Doppelgänger close and study him, yet you’re telling me to take him far away from you.”
Juspian crossed his arms.
“Are you doubting my words right now?”
“No. I simply can’t understand why you’re advising me to flee so easily. The Puppet Master is the one we’ve been searching for. My family and I have made every effort to find him and settle this once and for all. And now that he comes here of his own accord, I must flee?”
I spoke without hesitation, words sharp enough to wound his pride, but fortunately—or unfortunately—there was no friend here to strike the back of his head for it. Juspian’s voice twisted.
“Listen to what you’re saying. So when that Puppet Master comes, you plan to face him yourself? Tell me, how will you do it? How do you intend to protect your Doppelgänger and yourself?”
“I won’t protect anyone. I will show the Puppet Master my face. I will ask if he remembers me, whom he saw only once, and whether he knows what he did to me.”
“Oh, so you want an apology? Why not just become friends while you’re at it?”
As the two men glared at each other, Tichiel approached and gently grasped Juspian’s arm.
“Father….”
A moment later, Juspian exhaled a sigh, and the tense air eased somewhat. Juspian examined the astrolabe again. Though he was not Demonic, he understood the flow well enough to perceive the shift.
“Here I am, getting angry along with your mad words—how pathetic. Let me speak plainly. If you’re counting on my protection, abandon that hope. Do you think magic can sever the bond between father and child, between mother and child? Just as it cannot sever such bonds, neither can it sever the connection between the Puppet Master and the Doppelgänger. The reason I recommend Agonia’s Curtain is precisely because of this. Don’t forget: creating Doppelgängers is Ganapoli Magic’s technique. The power of this era cannot withstand Ganapoli Magic.”
Tichiel spoke softly.
“Joshua. You haven’t asked her yet.”
Soon Joshua’s head nodded. He turned his body, grasping the door handle as he looked back at father and daughter.
“I’ll try to persuade her.”
Children of Rune – Winterer
Author: Jeon Min-hee
Publisher: 14 Months Publishing
The copyright of 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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