COTBC 08

  Chapter 08

By the time Isaac returned to Black Goose Village, the sun had nearly dipped beneath the horizon.

His right arm, injured in the battle against the Winter Spider Queen, had made it impossible to climb the rope ladder up the vertical shaft. He had spent hours stumbling through other tunnels before finally finding another exit.

All he wanted now was to sit, to lie down, to sleep.
But he forced himself to ignore the exhaustion clawing at his body.
If the sun set completely, if night fell while he was still out here…
There was no telling what might happen.

And so, he pushed forward.
And just barely, before darkness swallowed the land, he made it back to the village.

Standing near the back road that connected to the abandoned mine, he saw a familiar silhouette.
He couldn’t make out the man’s face in the gloom, but the restless pacing said enough.
Whoever it was, he was anxious, unable to stand still for even a moment.

And then the man spotted Isaac, staggering in the distance.

“Young master!”

“…Hans?”

The moment Isaac saw the man’s face rushing toward him, he knew he hadn’t been mistaken.
His body, taut with tension, relaxed at last; sleep, irresistible and heavy, came rushing in.

“…What do I do now? I left without telling the chamberlain…”

“Did you tell anyone the young master left the estate?”

“No?! If the master finds out, it’ll be chaos! How do I explain something like that…?”

“You did well.”

Isaac opened his eyes, just barely, to the sound of Hans and the nanny’s low voices murmuring nearby.

A glance around told him he was in the nanny’s home.

That alone brought him some peace.
But still, his eyelids, his limbs, everything felt too heavy to move.

“Wait, you really didn’t know? They say the young master went all the way into the abandoned mine.”

“I didn’t! Apparently Jaeger guided him that far, but after that, he went off hunting himself. That man only ever thinks about himself!”

“I heard the young master didn’t tell anyone who he really was.”

“He just said he was a student from the Mage Tower, there to observe! But come on, even if that’s true, how can you let a kid wander into a mine like that and not care?!”

A cottage.
A dinner table.
Hans and the nanny.
And a warm hearth crackling with firelight.

‘It it another dream?’

It looked exactly like the nightmares he’d had over and over again.

Outside, a blizzard would be howling.
And the dead, those who had died because of him, would come, one by one, into the cottage.
And then, there’d be a cheerful feast.

“…………….”

Isaac glanced toward the window.

There was darkness; but there was no snowstorm, no meal laid out.

It wasn’t a dream.

“Just like the young master said, Hinder’s made a full recovery. He still has a slight fever, but no more coughing.”

“That’s just the kind of person he is. The explosion changed him, yes, but his kind heart never went anywhere.”

Hans spoke with quiet conviction.
He believed in Isaac, wholly and without hesitation.

A soft warmth bloomed in Isaac’s chest.
And yet, with it came a creeping chill.

Gratitude, for Hans, who still saw him in a good light.
And fear, that if things continued like this, he might lose Hans.
Or the nanny.
All over again.

“…Hans.”

Isaac sat up.

His head throbbed and his right arm ached.

“Oh, young master! You’re awake? You should lie down a bit longer.”

Hans immediately rushed over to help Isaac sit up.

“How long did I sleep?”

“About half a day. Are you feeling okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m fine. I can manage.”

“‘Can manage,’ what does that even mean? Why did you go somewhere that dangerous alone? Don’t tell me you actually went into the abandoned mine?”

The nanny seized the moment and bombarded him with questions.

“I just slipped while trying to gather some herbs nearby.”

Isaac made up a rough excuse.

Who would believe a twelve-year-old with a peculiar constitution, already struggling to live, went and hunted Winter Spiders?

They’d probably think he hit his head, and things would just escalate.

“How’s Hinder doing?”

“Thanks to you, young master, he’s gotten much better. The other village children too.”

“That’s a relief.”

Isaac walked over to the bed near the fireplace.

The blue blotches on Hinder’s face were gone and his breathing was steady.

Isaac touched his forehead, there was no fever.

“How did you know about those herbs and find them? Even the doctor sent by the master didn’t know.”

“……Just read it in a book, by chance. Judging by the symptoms, it seemed like an unusual type of pneumonia, and the usual treatment wouldn’t have worked.”

Isaac considered revealing that Hinder had been suffering from “mana poisoning,” but decided against it.

If word got out about mana poisoning, knowledgeable mages or scholars would be brought in, and a massive search for nearby monsters would follow.

If they found the Winter Spider corpses in the abandoned mine, it would become a huge headache.

“You really are amazing, young master!” Hans exclaimed in awe.

“I was just lucky. It happened to be something I read in a book.”

“Then does that mean Hinder and the village kids will be okay now?”

“Yeah. If they get through today, they’ll recover well with rest and good food.”

“Thank you, thank you so much, young master. I don’t even know how we can ever repay you………….”

Tears welled up in the nanny’s eyes.

Perhaps the emotional strain had built up, and hearing Isaac speak confidently finally let all her bottled-up sorrow overflow.

“I even thought I might follow him in death if I lost him………….”

“……………”

Hans placed a hand on the nanny’s shoulder.

“Please understand, young master. Her husband was working as a guard in Bernshi and was attacked by thugs. The children she had before him also passed away one after another…”

“I know.”

Isaac nodded at Hans’s explanation.

This too, he had heard from the servants after the nanny passed away.

It would’ve been better to know earlier, but it wasn’t too late.

“Hinder needs complete rest for the next three days. Massage his hands and feet from time to time, always boil water so he can drink it warm. Keep the temperature as it is now, make sure the fireplace doesn’t go out. And tell the rest of the villagers to do the same.”

“…Yes.”

“Yes.”

The nanny wiped away her tears as she replied.

“Hans, let’s go.”

“Huh? Already? It’s snowing outside. Why don’t you rest a little longer?”

“If word gets out that I left the estate, it won’t end well for you. If you’re unlucky, you might even get flogged.”

“Ugh…”

Hans visibly paled.

“Oh, young master. Before you go, take whatever you need from over there.”

“Hm?”

“The villagers left those for the student from the Tower. Said they wanted to thank him.”

As she spoke, the nanny gestured toward a few baskets.
Each was filled with different things—fruits, berries, fish.

Student from the Mage Tower — that had been Isaac’s invented identity.
He couldn’t let people know he was the son of a Lord.
That would only invite unnecessary trouble, rumors about the explosion, and questions about how he should be treated going forward.

“Apples,” he murmured.

A faint smile appeared on Isaac’s face as he looked over the contents of one of the baskets.

“Nanny, take about a week off.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’ll be easier for you to work once you’re sure Hinder’s fully recovered, right? You need the rest, too. And when he’s better, you should play with him.”

“Is that really okay…? I doubt the chamberlain will let it slide.”

“Who said it’s just a vacation? Here, turn this into jam.”

Crunch—!!!

Isaac bit into a red apple from the basket.
Apples grown in cold, dry climates had little tartness and were strikingly sweet.
The low temperatures suppressed the activity of the souring enzymes while dehydration naturally concentrated their sugars.

“Apple jam?”

“Yeah. On the day you come back to work, serve it with milk bread on a tray.”

At his words, the corners of the nanny’s mouth lifted into a smile.
Her eyes were still red.

“Then how about apple pie?”

“I’d love that.”

Isaac gave a small, satisfied nod.

𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢

On the way back, as Hans had said, snow was falling outside.

The wind wasn’t too fierce, but the air still bit at the skin.

Isaac’s condition wasn’t great.

He hadn’t fully recovered after returning from the abandoned mine.

How strong could the body of an untrained twelve-year-old really be?

Besides, now that he felt relieved for having accomplished his task, his body began to ache all over.

Especially his ankle.

It had been fine for the first few steps, but after walking for about an hour, it started to throb with heat and pain every time he took a step.

“Are your feet hurting?”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re limping. I think it’d be better if you got on my back.”

“I said I’m fine.”

Isaac spoke coldly, but Hans didn’t seem ready to give up.

“Please get on.”

Hans crouched down and offered his back.

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Please don’t be stubborn. I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for me. If we don’t get back before the Chamberlain finds out, we’re in trouble. At this rate, we won’t make it back before noon.”

“Hurry, please. Save me here.”

His tone was coaxing, as if speaking to a child.

The corner of Isaac’s mouth twitched.

‘Yeah… that’s how he’s always been. That’s exactly why I liked him so much.’

Isaac wanted to keep some distance from Hans, but right now, Hans was right.

With no other choice, Isaac ended up riding on Hans’s back.

Contrary to what he expected, it wasn’t uncomfortable.

It was so comforting that the sleep he had pushed away started creeping in again.

𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢

The Goethe Estate at night was wrapped in a calm atmosphere.

The servants had returned to their quarters near the mansion, and the attendants had either gone home or retired to their private rooms in the annex. The only ones left were the guards posted at the main entrances of the estate, but even they didn’t notice as Hans used a path he knew well to sneak the two of them into the room.

“I’ll bring hot bathwater and fresh clothes.”

“Alright.”

Hans had carried Isaac on his back for hours through the snowy path.

He must’ve been exhausted, but he didn’t show it and looked after Isaac as soon as they returned to the mansion.

Isaac sat on a chair by the desk and replayed everything that had happened.

So much had taken place in just a single day.

He even started to doubt whether he had really defeated the Winter Spiders or saved the children in the Black Goose village.

Now that he was back in his room, everything that happened felt like it had been a dream.

“Phew.”

Even though he had dozed off on Hans’s back the whole way, he still felt drowsy.

He figured that if he lay down in bed, he might just pass out for a long time.

‘I really need to work on my stamina.’

Through the battle with the Winter Spider Queen, Isaac had come to understand the areas where he was lacking.

He didn’t lack mana, but his ability to balance his stamina and willpower, and his skill in handling mana, were still far from adequate.

Most of all, his mental and physical endurance were vastly inferior compared to the amount of mana he possessed.

Contrary to popular belief, one of the most important qualities for a mage was stamina.

Mental strength and physical endurance couldn’t be separated.

Without a strong body, one couldn’t endure the long hours of research and training.

‘I should start with running.’

Knock—!!! Knock—!!!

As he was mapping out the road ahead, a knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

He naturally assumed it was Hans, but it turned out to be the chamberlain, Schiller, who entered.

“It’s late, but I saw the light on in your room. You’re still awake?”

“Oh? Uh, yeah. I couldn’t sleep.”

Schiller, wearing a monocle, looked at Isaac with a blank expression.

“Where have you been?”

Isaac felt his drowsiness vanish in an instant.

If it were to be revealed that he had gone all the way to the Black Goose village, the string of troublesome consequences immediately played out in his mind.

A chill ran down his spine.

“I just took a walk near the garden. Felt a bit stuffy.”

He answered as casually as he could.

“Please refrain from leaving the building at night. Given your status, there may be those who would target you.”

“…Okay.”

Fortunately, Schiller didn’t express any suspicion.

But Isaac couldn’t relax yet.

Suddenly, Schiller brushed aside the hair on Isaac’s forehead.

“You scraped your forehead? You’re injured. And your clothes are covered in dirt and stains.”

“Ah, I tripped on a rock in the dark and rolled over.”

“I see. Be careful.”

“Okay.”

“I know you must be feeling restless, but you still need to sleep at night. You’re at an age where proper rest is important.”

“I understand. I’ll sleep.”

Isaac glanced toward the door.

He caught a glimpse of Hans peeking in through the gap before he quickly disappeared.

The brief look on Hans’s face was full of worry.

“Well then, have a good night.”

“You too, Schiller.”

The chamberlain opened the door and stepped out.

Just as Isaac was letting out a sigh of relief—

“Next time you go out, please inform me of your destination.”

Schiller’s voice, dry as ever, rang out.

“…You knew?”

“I heard it from Hans.”

‘So Hans ratted me out.’

Isaac thought silently.

Now that he considered it, Schiller had seemed prepared just in case.

It wasn’t just that he was awake in the dead of night despite his usual clockwork schedule.

Instead of wearing his usual servant attire, he had donned a thick gambeson, and at his waist was a wand embedded with mana stones.

“I heard you treated the Black Goose children’s pneumonia. If it becomes public knowledge, the advisory council won’t take it lightly. I’ll overlook it just this once. But from now on, please show restraint. If you can’t, at least consult with me first.”

Schiller’s tone remained as dry and unwavering as ever.

A stiff old man.

Isaac had heard it just before Jonas died.

Schiller had served the Goethe family since the previous head of house.

Even when Goethe was in decline, he remained at his post until the very end.

Isaac wasn’t close to Schiller.

The chamberlain always kept a professional distance from everyone.

But now, he was beginning to understand him a little.

A quietly kind old man.

Isaac thought so as he nodded.

“Okay. Thank you, Schiller.”

“Please rest well.”

Just as he had entered, Schiller left the room with his usual upright gait.

𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢 𝄞 𝄢

A week passed.

“Huff, huff.”

Isaac was running laps through the garden.
More than anything, what he needed now was stamina..
Even the reclusive scholars cloistered in arcane laboratories never neglected physical training.

And Isaac, who had already begun planning for the many battles ahead, had all the more reason to run.

“Young master!”

The sudden voice calling out to him made him stop.
He turned around.

It was Hinder and the nanny.

Their eyes met, and Hinder waved cheerfully while the nanny offered a polite nod.
They were each carrying a basket covered with cloth.
As they drew near, the warm, sweet scent of apple pie drifted through the air.

Isaac had told himself to keep his emotional distance.
And yet—

Perhaps it was the fragrance, rich and comforting, that made him forget.

For this one moment, Isaac smiled, genuinely, and without restraint.