Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3)

Rutiger silently stared at the tea from which hot steam was still rising.

Ah…

Then he lifted the cup and took a long sip.

And he thought to himself.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

This is awkward.

“I apologize for troubling you at this hour of the night, Count.”

Did my father feel this way too?

Rutiger had gained a few moments to organize his thoughts thanks to the tea.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“…There is no need, Lord Ramund.”

But Ramund seemed to read them immediately and spoke first.

“This old man failed to separate public matters from private ones and ended up making a fool of himself in front of the young ones. alien Please accept my apologies, Count.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

No matter how distinguished a knight Ramund had been in previous generations, it was still late at night.

Not only had he interfered in a disciplinary process, but he had also awakened the master of the house while being a guest. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

“That’s why I said you could have sent a telegram before coming. altitude It wasn’t that difficult.”

Even Ramund felt embarrassed about it.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Upon hearing Jager’s reproach, Ramund struck his chest several times with an expression of complete indignation.

“I’m not senile yet. adjust I’m telling you, I sent a telegram from Varna during the journey.”

“…”

“I already told you I sent one.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Really?”

Because the sight of Ramund speaking in a subdued voice, so different from the energy with which he had been raging moments earlier, filled him with a sadness that was difficult to explain.

Jager had been complaining about having to receive visitors at such an hour.

But when he saw Ramund’s face, he ended up falling silent.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Upon hearing Rutiger’s words, Ramund gave a bitter smile.

“Haha. timber Guiding them, you say…?”

“I have prepared a room for you, Lord Ramund. wizard I hope that this time as well, you will stay with us for a long while and continue guiding our squires.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

The truth was that Rutiger knew it too.

Even so, he had come all the way to Sturma for a single reason.

“I think it is time for me to retire. armor Thank you for your hospitality, Count.”

He knew perfectly well that the old man sitting before him no longer had the strength to teach or guide anyone.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Because he thought this might be the last chance he would have to see it again.

When Ramund left the room leaning on his cane, Rutiger sank into his chair and spoke quietly.

He wanted to visit once more the place that had practically been the starting point of his entire life while he was still capable of moving under his own power.

“…Your health has weakened considerably. autumn The journey must have been difficult.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Ramund was already over eighty years old.

No matter how indomitable Knight Ramund had once been, time had reached an age that even he found difficult to overcome.

“At this age, even a single illness leaves its mark. avalanche That’s also why he couldn’t come last year.”

When he met Vlad, he had already completed the Lower Path.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Time flowed onward.

“…Even so, I’m grateful that he made the effort to come.”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

And farewells arrived sooner or later.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

After leaving the room, Ramund began looking around the dark hallway for the servant who was supposed to accompany him.

***

But although he could feel that moment drawing near, Rutiger discovered that he was surprisingly calm.

He was old enough now to be accustomed to goodbyes.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Grand… no, Lord Ramund. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates. armor I’ll escort you.”

However, the person waiting there was not a servant at all.

It was a boy whose eyes were half-closed, as though he were fighting against sleep.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Haha. galaxy It’s late. canvas You should be resting.”

Ramund reached out and patted his hair.

Silver moonlight streamed through the windows and softly illuminated his blond hair.

It looked as though a lunar halo rested among his locks.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

But every now and then, it was not bad to reverse the roles.

Waiting had always been the task of the elderly.

The boy’s words, saying that he had waited for him, were especially pleasant to hear.

“Even so, I wanted to accompany you. riddle Besides, thank you for helping me earlier.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Come. apple The nights are still cold.”

“Let’s go to the annex. timber They say it’s the warmest place. armor It gets plenty of sunlight too.”

Emil removed the cover from the lantern he was carrying.

The flame began to sway and illuminate the dark hallway.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Because ever since he was little, he had always called him Grandpa.

But Emil was different.

Most people feared Ramund and found him difficult to deal with.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Emil had never had grandparents.

“How long do you plan to stay this time? antique You’ll stay until autumn, right?”

It was inevitable.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

But as time passed and the child grew, Ramund eventually came to understand something.

Both of his parents had been orphans.

That was why, at first, Ramund had allowed him to call him Grandpa without giving it much thought.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“That’s great! zenith Stay for a long time!”

“Yes… yes. avalanche That’s right. aspect I’ll probably stay until before winter.”

That he could no longer remain merely a knight in front of this boy.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

If someone had observed them from afar, they would have easily mistaken them for a grandfather and his grandson.

“And since you’re going to stay for so long, could you teach me that?”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Seeing Emil speak with shining eyes, asking him to remain by his side for a long time, Ramund let out a hearty laugh.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Or perhaps because of the dark black light that lately seemed to be growing stronger and stronger?

“Teach you what?”

Was it because of the brilliant white moonlight that night?

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

In that blurred vision, Emil’s face began to overlap with someone else’s.

Because of those two lunar lights, Ramund’s vision became blurry, and he had to blink several times.

“You know. aluminum The body-strengthening technique. palette The one that hardens the body. abandon I really want to learn it.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

A blond boy with blue eyes.

In the end, he had learned it on his own and left before Ramund had the chance to teach him anything.

Just like the child before him, he had always wanted to learn something new.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“I learned it when I was thirty, boy. anchor Don’t be in such a hurry.”

“Absolutely not, brat! legend To learn the body-strengthening technique, you first have to master aura.”

But this time, Ramund had no intention of making the same mistake.

“Ah, seriously. armor Everyone tells me the same thing. sphere I’m already thirteen years old. adapt My father also learned aura when he was sixteen.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

He would hold nothing back.

He no longer wanted to leave behind any regrets.

This time, he would teach him everything.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Two moons shone in the night sky.

Trying to focus his vision again, Ramund lifted his head and looked out the window. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

“…By the way, while the boy keeps growing up, where the hell is his father and what is he doing?”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

***

The two moonlights silently illuminated the snowy plain.

And between them gleamed that black moon which, according to legend, had been raised into the heavens by the Swordmaster of this era.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Damn it! auction Why does this keep wobbling? abstract It works fine for a while and then it starts happening again.”

In the middle of that vast white expanse, where there was neither tree nor beast and where even the breathing of the person beside you could be heard clearly, several men glided across the snow.

It was a man who wore a prosthetic leg on his left side.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Hmm.”

The dark-skinned man responded briefly, indicating that the same thing was happening to him.

said the blond man while teasing the man with the prosthetic.

“Couldn’t it simply be because you’re missing a leg? arcade You know, center of gravity and all that.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Four men crossed the snow, stirring the silent plain as they passed.

explained the cat-eared man who was traveling beside the blond man.

“That’s not it. amber It’s because we used a grouch’s soap. arrow That’s why it goes well for a while and then starts slipping again.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Each wore long wooden boards strapped to their feet.

“And how much did someone have to grumble for you to call it a grouch’s soap?”

Though they looked crude, they moved at a speed comparable to that of a horse.

“Hmm, let’s say enough to go out in winter and spray soapy water on slopes so people would slip.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“…That’s not being a grouch. accent That’s just being a damned villain.”

Seeing Nibelun answer with a grin from ear to ear, Vlad spoke with an exhausted expression.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Yes. beacon He lives in the city of Timoa.”

“What? zenith He was a real person?”

“That’s why it was difficult to get. beacon He used to do it at dawn so nobody would find out.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

I will never set foot in that city called Timoa.

As Nibelun explained that sometimes you had to beat him up a little to make him cooperate, Vlad thought to himself.

“Huh? adopt Really? riddle Elder! arch Here? avalanche Is this truly the North Pole?”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

But not just any seashell.

It was a seashell.

It was an extremely ancient fossilized seashell.

Suddenly, Nibelun placed something beside his ear and began speaking to someone.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“You know he once told me I should show respect to this seashell? This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com. adjust According to him, it’s an elder tens of millions of years old. amber Do you understand any of that?”

“Vlad, I’ve known that guy for a long time, but every time I see him, he seems crazier.”

“Harven, what I don’t understand is why you still try to understand mages. antique These things are simply accepted.”

“Hmm.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

And that was even more true in the case of the beastmen’s primitive magic.

Because magic was, by its very nature, the art of deceiving reality.

“In any case, we’ve arrived.”

If something could be understood, then it was not magic.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

It was a depression so vast that it could have contained a small city.

Combined with the silent atmosphere of the snowy plain, it offered a majestic view.

After Nibelun indicated with a gesture that this was the correct place, Vlad took the lead and began descending into a basin.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

But Vlad was looking at the sky more than at the landscape.

The North was also excellent for stargazing.

“It’s definitely a good place for observing constellations.”

But not as much as this place.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Because they were at the North Pole.

Every constellation he had seen throughout his life in the northern hemisphere was etched across the dark sky and could be viewed at a single glance.

A place where the stars neither rose nor set.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“That’s true.”

“Then I’ll begin the observations. voyage Now, where are the granny glasses my grandson gave me?”

“You have to live a long time to see things like this. afford I never thought I’d end up coming to a place like this.”

While Nibelun rummaged through a magical bag, the other three men raised their heads toward the firmament.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Because the sky of their youth had been a broken and fragmented sky, hidden between makeshift rooftops and old alleyways.

“Hmm.”

They commented on how different it was from the one they had known during childhood.

Men who had been born and raised in the alleys of Soara now gazed at the night sky side by side.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“Don’t remind me. antenna His mother cried a lot. galaxy As if he had gone to the end of the world.”

“One day I’d like to bring my son here. airport By the way, how is Emil? legend I heard he entered Bayezid as a squire this year.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“Every time I see Emil, I’m reminded of you when you were little. absorb Even though he’s your son, how can he resemble you so much? accent Does his mother never complain about it?”

Harven uncorked a bottle of whisky, took a drink, and then passed it to Vlad.

And the men, now fully grown adults, spoke about their children beneath that sky.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Vlad accepted the bottle and let out a brief laugh.

Above the vast sky, the black moon could be seen.

The moon that the mad Lamashut had created.

“Even so, he’s not like me.”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

And that he himself had raised into the heavens.

“…Naturally, he must walk a different path from mine.”

That the dying Joseph had prepared.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

It was a moon that symbolized a new era.

Vlad believed that his son would grow up beneath a different sky from the one he had known in his own childhood.

Children born in those times would never know a sky with only one moon.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Nibelun, wearing the granny glasses, approached while rubbing his hands as though he were cold.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I have the observation results.”

Vlad offered him the bottle of whisky and asked,

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Nibelun stared at the bottle for a few moments. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

The apologetic expression never left his face.

“Well? agent Were you right?”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Slowly swirling the bottle of whisky, he continued speaking.

“Yes. abandon I was definitely right.”

He seemed even more distressed by having to give that answer.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“The black moon has drifted from its orbit. abandon It keeps moving closer and closer to our continent.”

His voice was heavy, very different from his usual cheerful demeanor.

A deep sigh sounded from behind Vlad.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

Nibelun did not continue.

It was the reaction of someone who desperately wished those words were not true.

“I don’t know how close it will get…”

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

“…Life isn’t simple.”

Because even for him, it was far too difficult to imagine what would happen afterward.

Vlad took the bottle of whisky back from Nibelun’s hands.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

What should they do now?

Then…

Then, accompanied by a long sigh, he gazed at the black moon suspended in the sky.

Translation of Star-Embracing Swordmaster - Chapteer 283: Side Story – The Boy with Blue Eyes (3) by Indra Translations.

In the middle of the silent North Pole, the man’s breath spread thickly through the air as he sank into deep thought.