Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 533

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 303.
Beneath the Almond Tree (46)
Following the foothills behind Nenyaple for roughly two hours along the mountain path, a lake appeared at the mountainside. Known also as “Lady’s Lake” and by the name of the nearby river as “Yaplia Lake,” its surface still bore a thin film of ice.
The airship could not land on earth. Though the Yaplia River existed, this lake nestled in the mountains proved the optimal location to reach Nenyaplo while evading human eyes. It was ideal for both landing and departing, as well as concealing the vessel. The lake appeared spacious enough to accommodate even ten ships the size of Beauty’s Pinnacle.
Maximian murmured.
“They don’t seem to have arrived yet.”
According to Tichiel’s account, Hispanie had apparently refused to return the ship to Juspian since the year before last, insisting they use it just once. In the end, Juspian had been persuaded again by the old “little thief.” Juspian would vehemently deny it, but looking back, he had always been susceptible to Hispanie’s arguments.
I didn’t know why Hispanie, who would naturally need to spend gold and even learn piloting techniques from Juspian, was rushing to reach Nenyaple aboard that ship. Yet it was certain something important was afoot.
“They should arrive by tomorrow.”
Joshua glanced around before speaking.
“What if we tie it there?”
They had brought a large cloth inscribed with black ink as a letter. They planned to hang it like a flag. They fastened the cloth to a large oak branch extending toward the lakeside. They thought the red fabric would be conspicuous enough.
“Let’s head down before nightfall. The path isn’t too treacherous.”
By the time they descended the mountain path, dusk had already fallen as Maximian had said. Near the school entrance, they encountered one of Lucian’s servants. He was one of those who had delivered the pies before.
“Oh my, young masters. Might I ask you something?”
Maximian replied.
“What is it?”
“Young Master Lucian apparently desires some sort of pie called… Roguetang or something. Where on earth should I purchase it? Last time I only received it from someone else, so I haven’t the faintest idea where to buy it.”
Maximian’s expression turned exasperated.
“What? That bastard demolished a hundred pies and still wants more?”
The servant was even more astonished.
“He consumed all hundred of them?”
Maximian shrugged and gestured toward the door to Joshua.
“You go inside. I’ll go with this man and bring back some pies. I need to extract proper compensation for the errand, so let’s meet at Lucian’s infirmary.”
Joshua feigned surprise.
“What’s gotten into you? You’re not even complaining.”
Maximian descended the narrow path toward the Lower Village without responding. He had no desire to explain to Joshua that he couldn’t help but be concerned about Lucian’s injury.
Joshua tilted his head in confusion before turning back toward the school entrance. And then he encountered someone.
Maximian returned with the pies, but it was too late—visiting hours at the infirmary had ended. He entrusted the pies to the person watching over the patient and returned to Acorn Villa. Boris sat alone in the living room.
“How’s confinement treating you?”
“Not particularly well.”
Maximian yawned and entered his chamber. It took exactly five minutes from removing his clothes and shoes to collapsing into bed and falling asleep.
I opened my eyes, but could see nothing.
The first thing I felt was the smell. The scent of partially dried wood, sawdust, and damp moss hung thick in the air. Next came thirst. The moment I tried to move my hand instinctively, sharp pain brought my consciousness into focus.
I was trapped. In a narrow space.
I tried moving my limbs one by one. None were free. The sides were cramped, and something lay very close before my face. After a moment’s thought, I concluded I was trapped inside some sort of box.
I groped through my fading memories. My head spun. The smell was partly responsible. Beyond the initial scent lay something far more noxious. The fresh wood smell came from the box itself, seeping in continuously from outside.
The surroundings were silent. This suggested the place was not Nenyaple. Yet even elsewhere, could there be a location so utterly devoid of spirits? Where on earth was this?
My mouth was free. But before I could open it and call for someone, the box shook violently and its lid opened. The sudden brightness blinded me.
“You’re awake.”
It was a calm voice. One I had heard long ago.
“This must be uncomfortable. Please bear with me a moment.”
Joshua paused to think before addressing the person.
“Annie.”
It took a considerable time before a response came.
“You remember. Yes, how could you forget?”
My vision gradually returned. A stone ceiling came into focus, and I could see the rough, uneven walls stretching in all directions. It seemed I was inside a cave. I tried to look left and right, but the walls of the box I lay in prevented me from seeing clearly. As I examined the box carefully, I realized something and spoke.
“This is a coffin.”
“Yes.”
“Are you planning to bury me alive?”
“No.”
Anistan approached. The face that appeared above my head was drastically different from what I remembered. His long, unbound hair was disheveled, his face gaunt and unnaturally pale. Most striking of all was his expression—eyes that couldn’t focus clearly, their gaze uncertain, lips that trembled and twisted with each word.
Soon Anistan raised his hand, and even that was skeletal and withered. The hand moved toward my face. The back of his hand touched me. It was cold.
“I apologize.”
“For what are you apologizing?”
“For nearly killing you last time.”
An apology for that made me wonder if he didn’t intend to kill me now. I tried moving my hand again and spoke.
“Theo is dead. Did you know?”
“Yes, I know. He died because of me.”
This unexpected revelation made Joshua blink several times.
“Because of you?”
“It was originally the glass I intended to drink from. I had coated the bottom of that green-rimmed glass with poison. I planned to die at that very moment when we toasted with Theo. I had no intention of explaining why. Once I was dead, no one would have been able to prove anything. But that day of the toast never came. We failed. Yet why did Theo raise his glass? Who did he drink with? I don’t know. Why he left his own glass and drank from mine instead, I cannot fathom.”
Joshua couldn’t quite understand what this meant. He had been asleep for half a year, so by the time he awoke, Theo’s death was already ancient history. He had only heard that there were two glasses and that someone had drunk champagne with him. They said no poison was detected. But if only a small amount of poison had been applied to the bottom of the glass, it would have dissolved when the champagne was poured, and once consumed, nothing would have remained.
Thinking this through, Joshua realized the situation resembled a nightmare he had once experienced. Ivnoa, who had accidentally drunk the glass meant for him. Theo, who had drunk Anistan’s glass in her stead. Like a form of retribution.
“What do you want?”
Anistan withdrew his hand and looked down at me. As shadow fell across his face, it turned gray. His long hair seemed about to touch the coffin.
“The same as you.”
His face disappeared. Only the ceiling remained in view. Soon a sound pierced my ears. Something was being cut. Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Joshua wracked his mind.
“I want many things. Do you want only one?”
“Only one.”
“Then it must be related to Cardi.”
The sound stopped.
“Cardi?”
“I gave him my second name. Max Cardi.”
After a brief pause, a sigh escaped. A murmur.
“That child should never have lived like this. It’s all my sin. My responsibility, so I must pay for it. I must atone. His suffering, his loss, his body and mind that are deteriorating. He deserved to be happy. Like all children born with blessing.”
“That’s true. But how do you intend to take responsibility?”
Anistan rose again and came to me. Seeing his face once more, it bore an expression mixing sorrow and joy so thoroughly that I could not discern what emotion it truly was.
“I must create a new body.”
Joshua’s and Anistan’s eyes met. Lips that were nothing but shells spoke.
“You’re going to give it to me.”
11. My Father
Father, grant me courage.
Let me cast away what is not mine,
and even what is mine, let me abandon.
I tried to do it alone,
but it was all in vain….
The next day was “Renoa’s Day”—a holiday that came once every seven days. There were no classes that day. Normally it would have been the hour when students rose from their beds, but the dormitory lay silent. Boris knocked on Maximian’s door several times before descending alone to the dining hall.
As I sat at a table, Joshua entered from the distance. I thought the same thing until he approached and sat across from me. But the moment he opened his mouth, I understood.
“Your company is… peaceful.”
Cardi did not order a meal, merely burying his head in his arms upon the table. Boris said nothing. When the food arrived, he glanced briefly at the other, then picked up his fork alone. Despite the impression of a rough life, Boris ate with quiet refinement. While Boris dined in silence, the grey cat crouched across from him slept in the morning light.
The dining hall was sparse. Being the first holiday, many students had skipped breakfast and slept late. Morning sunlight streaming through flower-bud-shaped windows danced idly across the empty tables. Only the faint sound of a piano from somewhere distant, and the occasional clink of dishes and forks.
At last, Boris rose from his seat when his meal was finished. The grey head stirred slightly, then lifted.
“Are you leaving?”
When Boris did not answer, he spoke again.
“I cannot sleep if you are not beside me.”
“Come with me.”
Boris left the dining hall. He went to the Anaya Savante Hall and entered the Maze Garden, settling onto a long bench. Cold wind passing through the trees tousled both their hair. But soon the wind ceased.
Boris placed his hand into the stream that flowed beside him. It must have been bitterly cold, yet he kept it there for a long while. Cardi, standing nearby, asked.
“Isn’t it cold?”
“It is.”
“Then why are you doing that?”
Boris did not answer for a long time, then spoke.
“It reminds me of the old days. Cold water, cold wind, the chill—these things.”
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 the contents of this book, written consent from both parties is required.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————