I Woke Up from Hibernation and Found a Husband - Chapter 47

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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 47
A gorge where the mountain range met the plains.
It was originally the territory of the Snowy Owl Clan.
The Snowy Owl Clan’s dwelling lay hidden within the mountain range.
Hannah, who lived in a village, procured necessities by selling tea leaves and medicinal herbs, while the other family members gathered in a Cabin within the mountain range.
“Only about six households remain now, but back in my Grandmother’s time, even the Raven Clan lived with us, so it was quite bustling.”
The barren and steep Girten Mountain Range was a wasteland of no use to pureblooded humans. But for the demihumans who faced social contempt, there was no better place to escape the world’s gaze.
“Originally, we call it the Nest—ah, we call our settlement the Nest. Anyway, the rule is that young ones don’t leave the Nest until they reach adulthood, but Anthony must have caught a downdraft while practicing his gliding.”
The young bird, preparing for flight without the adults’ knowledge, was swept away by the downdraft and lost his way. It would have been better had he stayed put when confused about direction, but the child kept flying, determined to find his way, and ended up straying beyond the plains.
“We searched the entire area thoroughly and despaired when we couldn’t find him, but who would have thought he’d been captured by the Black Market.”
Late in the evening, as Lizzy guided them to the Snowy Owl Clan’s dwelling, the emotions from that time welled up, and she gazed at the sky while holding back tears. Anthony, watching his mother’s expression, began to sniffle along with her.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
Watching Lizzy pat the child in her arms, I spoke up.
“Does the Black Market often target demihumans? I heard them call demihumans ‘chains.'”
“Incredibly often!”
Hannah, who had shouted rather loudly, realized her rudeness and cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that those creatures are so vicious.”
“Not at all.”
From her reaction alone, I could see clearly the lives they must have lived, fraught with worry all these years.
‘That such people would guide us to their home.’
For those who had lived hidden their entire lives to reveal their existence was no small matter. No matter how much they spoke of repaying kindness, the Owl Family seemed to be people born with warmth and sincerity.
‘Is that simply how demihumans are?’
As I followed the sway of Claire’s hair moving steadily ahead, we soon arrived at the Owl Clan Settlement.
“This is our home!”
Lizzy, who had come down to the village to search for the child, wore a bright smile, delighted to see her home after so long.
“Home!”
Anthony bounded out of his mother’s arms and rushed inside.
“Anthony? Is that really you, Anthony?”
“Anthony!”
Those who appeared to be Anthony’s father and Grandmother, the latter with a splint on his leg, welcomed them with tears streaming down their faces.
‘The scent of wood.’
From the round-shaped Cabin of the Owl Family came the subtle fragrance of conifers. Naturally, my own Cabin overlapped in my mind.
‘With wings, there must be a door in the roof too.’
As I searched for differences based on the demihumans’ characteristics, I found certain details that felt quite real.
‘This place isn’t quiet.’
The Cabin where the child had returned was filled with vitality. The Grandmother, having heard the circumstances, approached our group.
“Thank you so much. I’d love to offer you a meal—would you have time?”
“Your kindness is appreciated, but we’re fine. We’re in something of a hurry.”
The warmth of the cozy Cabin felt stifling to me. Perhaps it was because my head had grown hot.
‘Claire.’
At that moment, Angela’s voice rang out as she suddenly burst through the Cabin door.
I longed to see her.
* * *
“It’s quite steep, isn’t it?”
The Mountain Path that Hannah led them up was far steeper than they had anticipated.
“Indeed it is.”
Kenneth wiped away the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.
‘I feel like a mountain goat.’
One misstep would send them tumbling down the treacherous slope to the Plains below.
“Since we fly around, we’ve never actually walked up something like this before….”
“It’s certainly excellent for security.”
Theodore’s identity had to remain hidden, so he couldn’t use his abilities either. While Claire ascended with an easy expression, the three men were gritting their teeth as they finally reached the Peak.
“There it is. That large fir tree. Do you see it?”
At Hannah’s words, I gazed at the Tree. A straight trunk standing solitary at the Cliff’s edge.
‘Something feels off.’
Though we had hurried considerably, the sky was quite red as sunset approached. Yet the sky visible beyond the fir tree had a peculiar bluish tint.
‘It’s as if the area is divided into sections.’
Hannah led them closer to the vicinity of the fir tree.
“How should I describe it? Yes, like a barrier perhaps? At some point, this strange phenomenon appeared in the Mountain Range.”
She continued speaking, one hand resting on the fir tree, her gaze fixed on the empty space beyond it.
“If my memory serves correctly, beyond this fir tree was where the Gorge began. But now.”
As if the Gorge had never existed in the first place, only a Cliff was visible. Like someone had erected a screen to obscure the truth.
‘Angela is beyond this.’
I felt certain of it.
“Thank you. We’ll take it from here.”
“Think nothing of it. If you need help, come find us anytime.”
After parting with Hannah, the four of us gathered before the barrier.
“What do we do now?”
“We should first identify what kind of ability this is.”
“Hmm, spatial manipulation perhaps? But regardless of what ability it is, the scale is extraordinary.”
An ability that had completely erased an entire Cliff within the Gorge. If only temporary, but according to Hannah, this phenomenon had been maintained for a full six months.
Ebon spoke, concealing his tension.
“It may not be just one person.”
The possibility that multiple individuals with similar abilities had gathered could not be ruled out.
‘I wish they’d just send a gust of wind from over there instead.’
I looked up at the sky. The sky where the sunset was gradually deepening. Unfortunately, tonight was not a full moon.
‘Perhaps I should wait for the right moment and return.’
As I thought this and reached my hand into the empty space.
“Huh?”
The veil parted as a gap opened in the Wall. The space pulled at me as if it were a swamp.
“Claire!”
Ebon, standing closest to her, seized Claire’s arm. Theodore and Kenneth tried to rush forward, but it was already too late.
“I’ll go first.”
Claire and Ebon vanished as if swallowed by the void itself.
“Damn it!”
Theodore struck at the empty air, but his fist met nothing—a meaningless gesture against empty space. Kenneth gripped his shoulder to steady him.
He opened his mouth, his face pale.
“Calm yourself. They’re likely not in immediate danger.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
His darkened violet eyes fixed upon the spot where Claire had disappeared.
“Seeing that just now… it reminded me of someone.”
* * *
“Are you unharmed?”
Ebon’s eyes opened at the sensation of someone grasping his forearm.
“Claire?”
Claire stood before him with her usual composed expression. Her steady gaze helped clear his mind as he exhaled in ragged breaths. The fir tree that had been beside them moments before had vanished without a trace. They now sat upon a Cliff-winding Slope that wrapped around an enormous precipice.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Ebon suddenly realized that Claire had returned to her true form.
‘Why did my ability deactivate?’
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Claire picked something up from the ground and handed it to him. Ebon’s eyes widened upon recognizing the object. A crude wooden mask rested in Claire’s hands.
He frantically touched his own face. His bare skin felt vivid and real—he had no idea when his ability had been dispelled.
“Why?”
“My ability deactivated the moment we entered this place.”
Claire pointed matter-of-factly at Ebon’s fingernails, where a faded moon mark resided. Her unwavering demeanor upon seeing his face only deepened his own distress.
“You’re not even startled by this face.”
‘If I said I wasn’t shocked at all, that would be a lie.’
Claire gazed into the eyes of the boy bearing such evident hurt.
The face beneath the wooden mask was far more beautiful than she had anticipated. Desaturated blonde hair framed calm, burgundy eyes. His pale, cream-colored complexion still retained traces of youth.
‘That reaction must be because of the scars.’
Yet the left side of that beautiful face was covered almost entirely by what appeared to be burn scars.
The left eye within those scars was a prosthetic with no visible iris. When Ebon shook his head slightly, his long left bangs fell forward, concealing the wound.
“Cruel people are rare in this world. I imagined you must have suffered greatly.”
This was someone who had worn a mask specifically to hide his scars. Claire had no desire to pry into his wounds out of curiosity.
“Shall we move on?”
Ebon watched silently as she brushed herself off and stood, then he replaced the mask on his face.

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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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