I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 42

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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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Chapter 42
Crossing the Mountain proved far less difficult than anticipated. All four of us possessed excellent physical stamina, and Claire in particular was a seasoned mountaineer.
Yet our true obstacle emerged at an unexpected moment—after we’d descended.
“I’m telling you, just speak casually with me.”
“U-understood.”
Claire found herself unable to drop the formal speech with Theodore.
‘This is harder than I thought.’
If I abandoned formality, wouldn’t the careful distance I’d maintained by calling him Young Master suddenly collapse? The way Theodore watched me with those expectant eyes only made it worse.
“Now then, let’s not forget to use aliases when we’re around people.”
Kenneth smoothly interjected, taking the lead as he spoke.
Theodore would be Jimmy. Kenneth would be Eric, and Ebon would be George.
“Understood, Young Master Abe?”
Claire managed to smooth out her crumpled expression as she answered.
“Understood.”
Had Angela witnessed this, she would have laughed so hard she’d roll on the ground. Kenneth barely suppressed his own laughter as he continued walking.
‘The journey should go more smoothly than expected.’
I’d estimated roughly four days to reach River City, but our swift passage through the Mountain had shaved a day off that estimate.
‘If we secure passage smoothly, we should arrive comfortably within a fortnight.’
Those who vanished from the Plains shared one peculiar commonality: they all disappeared on the night the full moon rose.
‘The locals won’t venture near the Plains if the wind blows on the full moon, or so they say.’
The legend of fairies spiriting people away seemed absurd, yet the repeated disappearances had left them no choice but to believe.
“Will we be boarding a ship soon?”
“Ah, this will be your first time on a boat, won’t it, Claire?”
Claire nodded at Kenneth’s question. Living Inland, I’d seen lakes before, but never actually sailed. The largest vessel I’d ever seen was merely a small ferry.
“The really big ones are built to the size of entire buildings. The fast ship we’re taking won’t be quite that massive, but it’ll be impressive nonetheless.”
As Kenneth guided us toward the city, I caught myself glancing at Ebon. His continued silence left me uncertain about what kind of person he truly was, yet I found his quiet demeanor oddly agreeable.
‘He doesn’t seem to be a combat specialist, yet his stamina is remarkable.’
He maintained his transformation ability while keeping pace with our grueling march without physical strain. He slept anywhere—indoors or out—without complaint. He was a difficult person to grow close to, but I was beginning to understand why Ludwig trusted him.
“Young Master! From now on, you really must speak casually!”
At Kenneth’s playfully raised lips, I barely suppressed the sigh threatening to escape.
* * *
“Just wait a moment, and I’ll arrange for a boat.”
“Young Master, you need to stay here.”
The Harbor bustled with noise and activity.
Theodore and Kenneth had stepped away briefly to confirm ship schedules and prepare boarding documents. They would board the fast ship under the false identities Ludwig had created for us.
While waiting, I gazed curiously at the crowded Harbor.
The Rubio River—one of the Empire’s three great waterways. The Harbor sprawled far larger than I’d imagined, teeming with merchants, fishermen, and passengers in a sea of humanity.
‘That briny scent.’
The distinctive smell of the waterfront mingled with the merchants’ spices, creating a unique fragrance. As I concentrated my senses on the strong yet pleasant aroma, something happened.
“Ah!”
A gust of wind swept through the sleeping quarters, and in that instant, it tore the robe from her head. Remembering Kenneth’s insistence that she keep it on, Claire hastily pulled the robe back down, but in that fleeting moment, someone had seen her face.
“Abe?”
‘Abe?’
Reflexively, Claire turned her head at the name so similar to her alias, Dave.
“Those crimson locks and that noble visage! You must be Young Master Abe.”
A gaunt man with a goat-like beard approached, rubbing his hands together eagerly. Claire’s eyes trembled with panic as she searched desperately for Theodore and Kenneth, but they were occupied in the distance, drafting lists and handling payments.
“I… uh…”
As Claire hesitated over her words, the Goat-bearded Man caught sight of her eye color and exclaimed with certainty.
“And those brilliant golden eyes! Yes, it’s definitely Young Master Abe. Hehe, you’re far more handsome than I imagined.”
Now the man began acting as though they were old acquaintances, drawing so close he seemed ready to link arms. He leaned in and whispered something secretive near her ear.
“I’ve prepared plenty of quality merchandise. Especially—we’ve just received some young chains after a long time, and they’re absolutely exquisite for display purposes.”
‘Chains?’
Claire’s expression soured at this incomprehensible talk.
“Come now, let’s go. You there!”
The Goat-bearded Man called out to someone, and a man who had been organizing nets looked around cautiously before standing. He opened a door set into the blind spot beside the stacked fish boxes, against the wall—what appeared to be a Fish Warehouse entrance.
‘It’s empty inside.’
The space visible through the small door contained not a single fish. Instead, wind seemed to seep from within, making it look like a passage leading somewhere—an ominous sight.
‘This won’t do. I need to force my way out and rejoin the Young Master.’
Just as Claire was about to shove away the Goat-bearded Man who was tugging at her sleeve—
Thump.
‘Ebon?’
From behind, Ebon gripped Claire’s shoulder. Then, without warning, he gently pushed her into the passage.
As Claire and Ebon entered the warehouse following the Goat-bearded Man, the door closed behind them.
“It’s a bit dark, isn’t it? My apologies. I’ll light it up shortly.”
The interior was dark and damp. Beads of moisture clung to the dark stone walls like sweat, trickling downward. A single line of small bulbs hung overhead, but they cast only a feeble glow.
‘This is bad. It looks like a door that only opens from the outside.’
Claire turned to face Ebon with a look of betrayal. His sudden, unexpected action—after he’d followed along silently the entire time—had caught her off guard, leaving her stunned and foolish. She could break through now if she wanted, but doing so would draw the attention of the crowd outside, making the situation unmanageable.
“What are you doing?”
She whispered softly, but Ebon maintained his usual silence behind his mask. Yet his hands trembled ever so slightly—a tremor that Claire’s keen eyes caught clearly.
Ebon seemed both furious and terrified at once.
“Young Master Abe?”
“Go.”
For reasons unknown, it was already too late to turn back. Claire decided there must be a reason why Ebon had pulled her in.
After walking for about ten minutes, the passage suddenly widened. Centered around a Main Passage wide enough for carriages, dozens of smaller passages twisted and intertwined like an ant colony.
“Today’s merchandise is in excellent condition. We captured them without a single wound!”
The man rubbed his hands together as he spoke.
‘What exactly is this merchandise?’
Puzzled, Claire feigned indifference and asked casually.
“What’s the finest thing you have here?”
At her question, the Goat-bearded Man’s lips curled into a grin. As if about to reveal an enormous secret, he covered his mouth with the back of his hand and whispered.
“It’s a bird.”
“A bird?”
“Yes, and a purebred chain at that!”
‘Another chain.’
The term “chain” appeared to be some sort of covert slang used in this place. Before I could ask Goat-bearded Man a few more questions, he’d already positioned himself before a massive door of intertwined wood and metal.
“Shall we go inside?”
Crreeeeeak.
A spine-chilling screech of metal accompanied the door’s opening, revealing an utterly unexpected vista beyond.
“A market?”
Though still indoors, the charming shops adorned with orange-glowing streetlamps and small incandescent bulbs created a breathtaking scene—as if someone had transplanted an entire famous Night Market directly into the basement.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? The Master places great value on beauty!”
I surveyed my surroundings without responding to Goat-bearded Man’s words. The shops appeared ordinary at first glance, yet something felt distinctly different.
‘The merchandise is different.’
Typical street vendors peddled jewelry and simple food. But what lay before these merchants—each wearing animal masks—was far from ordinary goods.
Animal claws of some kind, grotesquely peculiar plants, tattered cloth inscribed with incomprehensible symbols, bones.
‘So this is what a Black Market looks like—something I’d only read about in books.’
I’d gotten myself tangled in quite the troublesome affair. As my expression soured, Goat-bearded Man seemed to misinterpret it, hurrying toward me while wringing his hands.
“Oh! Of course, I understand these wares must seem far too shabby for Young Master Abe’s tastes! If you’re finding this tedious, I’ll proceed directly to the main matter.”
‘There’s no escaping this now.’
I resigned myself to the situation and nodded.

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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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