Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 534

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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 304.
Beneath the Almond Tree (47)
“A fond memory?”
Boris’s head nodded weakly. After a moment, he withdrew his hand and gazed at it for a time—reddened from the cold. He neither wiped away the moisture nor tucked it into his coat to warm it.
“I wish I could recall fond memories of my own, but they aren’t truly mine. In the end, it only brings suffering. The better the memory, the more it aches.”
“Surely there must be memories you’ve made since your creation—ones that belong only to you?”
Cardi turned without answering and walked a few steps into the maze. But he didn’t venture far before returning.
“Would there truly be meaning in that?”
Boris considered for a moment before speaking.
“If you’ve earned the goodwill of even a single person through your own strength.”
…
Hesitation flickered across Cardi’s face before vanishing.
“So then, must I surrender all other memories to him? Do I have no rights at all? No matter how frustrating or unjust it feels, must I simply accept it?”
No one had ever answered that question. Not the Duchess, not even Joshua—they had only evaded it.
Boris answered.
“If you wish to find peace.”
Cardi’s eyes widened, trembling.
“If you decide not to claim them, then the war in your heart will end.”
Their gazes met. Wind swept across them, carrying their hair westward. A quiet resolve settled upon Cardi’s face.
When he turned his gaze away, Maximian appeared in the distance—on the path leading to the Dormitory. He was running toward them. Cardi’s lips twitched.
…
Maximian arrived before them, breathing heavily as he spoke.
“Have you seen Joshua?”
Boris shook his head with a puzzled expression. Maximian clenched his fists and cried out.
“That bastard never returned to the Academy last night!”
He turned immediately to Cardi.
“You knew Joshua didn’t come back yesterday, didn’t you? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Do you have any idea where he is?”
Cardi looked away, staring down at the end of the bench as he struggled to compose himself. Yet his clenched fists trembled visibly.
Maximian’s lips twisted.
“You don’t know, do you. And you don’t care either. Fine—I’m the only one left to search for that damned fool. You’d probably be happier if he just disappeared, wouldn’t you?”
It was the moment Maximian turned to leave.
“You know that Joshua disappearing won’t make me your friend.”
It was something Maximian himself had once said to Joshua. But hearing it from Cardi’s lips was different.
“I know I can’t take away even one thing he has. Not his memories, not his people, not his future. None of it!”
Maximian’s brow furrowed without reply. It was the situation he’d least wanted to face.
“But you won’t accept me as Joshua or as Cardi either. If I’m not your old friend, can’t I become a new one? Do you hate me because our faces are the same? Can’t you forgive me because of the pain my existence caused Joshua? Does it matter that none of this is my fault?”
Cardi’s voice finally broke.
“Icabon lived long, and Grandfather Hispania lived long too. I understand why now—because someone was there beside them. You have Joshua. I lost that. So in the end, I…. Have you ever once tried to understand how difficult it is for me to accept that you are not Joshua von Arnim?”
Maximian answered.
“Yes, I’m sorry. But if you have memories of when I was your friend….”
I paused mid-sentence and took a deep breath. It was a difficult thing to say, even for Maximian.
“You know what kind of person I am. I’m truly sorry.”
Only the sound of wind rustling through branches and water flowing reached my ears. A shallow sigh escaped Maximian’s lips. Just as he turned to leave, Cardi called out to him.
“Maximian.”
Maximian paused and looked back. Cardi had covered his face with both hands. His shoulders trembled faintly.
“I know where Joshua is.”
“What?”
“With Anistan… and Bwolf. Outside the Academy… not far.”
Maximian’s face froze in shock. Why would Anistan go after Joshua? I thought he was only targeting the Puppet.
“How do you know that?”
“He’s been calling to me for a long time. Asking me to come to him. I refused, but… Annie wants to give me a new life.”
Could the Puppet Master’s call pierce even Angonia’s curtain? Or was it that because of its existence, he could only call without controlling? Or perhaps with time, control would have eventually come, and nowhere in the Academy would have been safe? I didn’t know the answer, but the mere fact that the call had been reaching him all this time was something I couldn’t have imagined. The connection between Puppet Master and Puppet was not something to be taken lightly.
“He’s been calling you, so why is he taking Joshua? A new life? What does that have to do with Joshua? Huh? Is that bastard….”
Maximian stopped. The words “new life” caught in my throat like a thorn.
“Don’t tell me… that means creating a new body by… killing Joshua?”
As Cardi’s head nodded with difficulty, Maximian clenched his fists and let out a cry that was almost a scream.
“This is insane! This can’t be happening!”
Boris stood up.
“It would be best to seek help from the Academy’s Masters.”
“Where is that bastard? Do you know?”
Cardi nodded and squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
“I can still hear his voice. Calling me to come. I can find him.”
Maximian tried to gather his thoughts.
“Right. We’ll need help. Damn it, I wish Juspian were here, but I can’t just summon him out of nowhere. Let’s find Tichiel first. If it’s her, she can get Professor Leomentiis to move.”
The three of us hurried back to the Dormitory. We went to the East Tower, the female dormitory, but since we had no female student accompanying us, we couldn’t enter. We asked the Gatekeeper to call Tichiel to the entrance and waited. Maximian clutched his head and muttered contradictory words.
“If anything happens to him, I swear I’ll make sure nothing happens to him. If he’s safe, I’ll keep him safe….”
Cardi crouched down, his body trembling slightly. He must have been cold from being outside so long. He soon turned to Boris.
“Boris, I know this is an unreasonable request.”
When Boris looked at him, Cardi hesitated before continuing.
“Would you come with us?”
“….”
“I won’t put you in danger. You said it yourself. The Puppet Master loves the Puppet. He’ll listen to what I have to say.”
Tichiel appeared at the top of the staircase. Cardi continued speaking.
“I have something I must say there… but it will be hard to keep my sanity while hearing the voices of Spirits.”
Around noon, the sky grew overcast.
Lady’s Lake was still. Gray clouds settled on the water’s surface, and soon a few streaks of light flickered across it. Rain hadn’t started yet. A low rumble echoed from the distance moments later.
“Don’t tell the Professor about this path later. Really.”
Tichiel received the promise one more time. The four of us stood on a broad stone placed at the edge of the lake. That stone, which looked like nothing more than an ordinary rock, was connected to a hidden magical circle in the Vineyard Court. We had used it to travel directly here.
The problem was that today was the Day of Renoa. Professor Leomentiis and the other Magic Masters were attending a Council of Inquisitors meeting held on days without classes. Even Tichiel didn’t know where that meeting took place.
Even Tichiel couldn’t guarantee that we could rescue Joshua without the Masters’ help. But Cardi had said he would persuade the Puppet Master himself, and asked only that the rest of us stay by his side.
It was difficult to completely trust those words. At least, that was Maximian’s assessment. Yet if they didn’t believe them now, there was nothing to do but wait with empty hands. There was no guarantee whatsoever that Joshua would remain safe until the night the Masters returned.
“This way.”
Cardi, who had kept his eyes closed for a moment, pointed northward. Maximian took the first step, followed by Cardi, then Tichiel and Boris in turn.
Along the path circling the lake, dry leaves and traces of snow scattered intermittently. The path gradually descended into the mountains. Everyone had brought cloaks, but Cardi in particular shivered violently against the cold, his face growing increasingly pale. Boris, thinking it might be more than just the chill, removed his own cloak and offered it. Cardi shook his head.
“I’m fine.”
“Like I said before. I like the cold.”
They passed over the dried riverbed. The valleys that stretched on either side of the riverbed weren’t particularly high, but flat rocks hung precariously overhead, unsettling to merely look upon. Eventually the path grew narrower and disappeared entirely. From there, only narrow crevices in the rock split off in various directions. When everyone hesitated, unable to choose a direction, Boris stepped forward to examine the ground. While they waited, Tichiel spoke.
“I asked the Professor before if he remembered a student named Anistan. That was after you suggested we search the records at the Vineyard.”
When Cardi turned around, Tichiel offered an awkward smile.
“He said he remembered him. Apparently he was a bright student with excellent character, and his future seemed promising. He graduated from the research program with good grades and was about to be appointed as an assistant instructor when he left one day. He said a friend had called him.”
Maximian asked.
“What does ‘excellent character’ mean?”
“Well, it could mean many things, but it probably meant he had a pure disposition that wasn’t easily corrupted by evil. Apparently, such a disposition is surprisingly rare among those who aspire to magic. Yet without it, one cannot follow the path of magic to its end.”
As everyone fell into thought at those words, Boris rose to his feet.
“There are no recent traces of anyone passing through. But since it seems to be a cave, the right path has the highest probability.”
“Why?”
“The other paths lead back to the riverbed. Only the right path climbs toward the mountain.”
Taking the right path, they soon found themselves rounding a cliff. After completing the circuit, a plain unexpectedly appeared. Cardi pressed his forehead for a moment before speaking.
“It’s near here.”
As they looked around, Tichiel suddenly gasped, her eyes widening. Maximian noticed her reaction.
“What is it?”
“….”
Tichiel remained frozen in place, unable to respond. After a moment, her expression finally relaxed, but she still couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
“That person spoke to me. It’s not something easily done.”
“The Puppet Master?”
Tichiel nodded.
“He said to stop here. He must have realized I’m a mage. If we come any closer… he said he cannot guarantee Joshua’s life.”
“Where exactly is that bastard?”
In response to Maximian’s words, Cardi answered.
“Very close from here.”
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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