Chapter 23 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

The Anklet of Bronze〘1〙

 

 

By sheer coincidence, it was a full moon that night—a stroke of the greatest luck. Julius, clutching his brother's hand, hurried through the gloomy forest. Known to many as the Black or Lost Forest, it lived up to both names, being dark, impenetrable, and bewildering. It was said to be filled with demons who devoured children and ferocious beasts lurking in the shadows.

 

"Brother, I can't walk any farther. I'm so hungry. Can't we rest for a while?" Theo pleaded.

 

"Theo... even though it's summer, the forest is cold. We can't stop here. If we keep going a little farther, we should find the woodsmen's cabin. Let's try to make it there," Julius reassured him, kneeling down to gently stroke Theo's head.

 

In truth, Julius knew they had strayed from their path and were lost. But there was no choice but to press forward. Perhaps by now, their cruel parents, as wicked as demons themselves, had already noticed the children's absence and were hunting them—not out of worry, but because of the money they stood to lose.

 

"Brother, I'm sorry for being so difficult. You gave me the last of the bread, and you must be starving. In the morning, I'll climb a tree and gather some nuts for you. I'm really good at it!"

 

"Thank you, Theo. I'll be looking forward to it," Julius replied with a soft smile as he took his brother's hand again. His younger sibling, with his flaxen hair, bright eyes, milky skin, and rosy cheeks, reminded Julius of his own reflection as a child. And sometimes, it seemed like Theo was headed for the same dark fate. But as an older brother, Julius was determined to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. Fleeing, even at the risk of their lives, was the best option they had.

 

They would never return to that house. Julius hadn't yet told Theo, but he had no intention of going back. He planned to take them through the forest to a village in the west, find some work to earn some money, and then keep running.

 

The night before, Julius had overheard a horrifying conversation between his father and stepmother, which spurred him to make their escape. He hadn't overheard it by chance—his stepmother's treatment of Theo had grown increasingly cruel, so Julius had been on guard, always listening.

 

The stepmother had suggested abandoning Theo in the forest to lessen the burden on the household. And their father, laughing, had said, "He's quite a handsome boy. When he grows a little older, he could start bringing in clients." All the while, he stuffed his mouth with bread and meat—food that Julius had earned by selling his own body...

 

"Look, brother! Is that the woodsmen's cabin?"

 

Julius, lost in his dark thoughts, was snapped back to reality by Theo's excited voice. He caught the sight of smoke rising ahead. For a moment, memories of vile touches and sickening smells flooded back, sending shivers across his skin.

 

"Yes... that's smoke. Is it a chimney? Perhaps someone's inside..." Julius murmured, standing on tiptoe and squinting toward the curling wisps in the distance. Through the trees, swaying ominously in the wind, he spotted what seemed to be a chimney. They were off course, so it likely wasn't the woodsmen's cabin they had been heading for. But perhaps luck was on their side, and they had stumbled upon another shelter.

 

With renewed hope, their pace quickened. The closer they got to the smoke, the more inviting the air became. They couldn't be sure if there was food inside, but maybe—just maybe—the inhabitants would take pity on Theo and offer him something to eat.

 

Theo's spirits soared as they approached, but Julius found himself stopping short, frozen in front of a house with red walls and a roof, not the humble woodsman's hut he had imagined. The trees around them grew thick and gnarled, their branches weaving together and blocking out the sunlight. Yet around this house, there was a clearing, an open space.

 

(The demon with the blue beard... who lives in a blood-red house. His true form is a wolf, black as night, who kills children with poisonous plants and then devours them, starting with their heads...)

 

Julius had heard the legends—of the red house deep in the black forest, where a blue-bearded demon was said to dwell. But now, for the first time, he saw it with his own eyes. Without hesitation, he turned to flee, intending to take Theo and run. But his brother was no longer beside him. Panicked, Julius looked around and saw Theo slipping through the back door of the house. Before he could cry out, the boy had disappeared inside.

 

"Theo!" Julius whispered urgently, racing after him, his heart pounding with dread. He slipped inside, his breath shallow as he searched for his brother. And there, in the dining room, he found Theo, helping himself to food without asking.

 

"Theo! No! That's poison!" Julius rushed forward, grabbing his brother's arm as he stood eating from a plate at the table, a large spoon in his hand. On the table before them was a deep bowl filled with soup, onions, and thin yellow slices of something unfamiliar. Nearby, on another dish, lay more of those yellow pieces, still with their skins on. Could these be the fabled poisonous plants?

 

"Theo, drop the spoon! This is the demon's house, and that bowl is filled with his poisonous fruits! Spit out whatever you've eaten at once!"

 

"Brother, it's not poisonous at all. It's delicious! It's sweet, and it melts gently in my mouth... Here, try it—ahh..." Theo beamed, offering Julius a spoonful with a wide smile. The aroma was indeed inviting, but that only made Julius more certain that danger lurked within it.

 

"No, it's poison! Please, listen to me..." Julius pleaded.

 

"But why would a demon eat poison?" Theo tilted his head.

 

"Huh...?"

 

"He didn't prepare it for us, right? He made it for himself. So even if this is a demon's house, we should be fine, as long as we don't eat anything offered directly to us," Theo reasoned confidently.

 

"Theo... but... a demon might be immune to poison. You mustn't eat it!" Julius protested, but his younger brother, undeterred, picked up one of the yellow-skinned fruits and took a large bite, exclaiming with delight, "Wow, this one's tasty too!" While Julius stood torn, unsure of what to do, his own stomach growled in hunger. Before he realized it, he had already dipped his spoon into the soup.

 

"...!"

 

The yellow fruit in the salted broth crunched pleasantly in his mouth and crumbled effortlessly with each bite. It wasn't as sweet as sugar, but there was a subtle hint of sweetness that made it all the more appealing. It didn't seem to be poisonous at all. Though hesitant, Julius decided to trust Theo's logic. This was, after all, the demon's own supper, and surely it wasn't tainted. Perhaps the fiend had simply stepped out for a while. If they ate quickly and left, they could fill their bellies and be on their way.

 

"I think I've had enough... Let's leave quickly..." Julius muttered.

 

"Brother, this is really good. Come, let's sit and enjoy it," Theo said, taking a seat and pulling the soup dish closer, while offering the plate of yellow-skinned fruits to his brother. The pieces, sprinkled with nothing more than a bit of salt, looked utterly tempting to Julius, and he soon took a bite of one.

 

(Sweet... but it pairs wonderfully with the salt.)

 

The fruit tasted even better than expected, and Julius felt a warmth of satisfaction spreading through him. Before he knew it, he had settled down across from Theo and together, they devoured the demon's meal. When their hunger was sated, a wave of bliss and drowsiness washed over them.

 

Though it was summer, the nights in the forest were cold, but inside this house, it was warm and comforting. Julius came to his senses only when he noticed the empty plate before him, and his eyelids growing heavy.

 

This was dangerous... He needed to get up... but even as the thought crossed his mind, his head continued to droop.

 

"...!"

 

At that moment, a sound, sharp and foreboding, reached his ears. His heart began to race wildly. It was the soft crunch of footsteps on the ground, faint but unmistakable. And it was enough to fully awaken him.

 

"Theo, Theo, wake up! The demon... the demon has returned. Quickly, we must leave!" Julius whispered urgently, shaking his brother, who had fallen asleep at the table. But no matter how much he shook him, Theo wouldn't wake. Meanwhile, the sound of footsteps drew closer and closer. Desperate, Julius opened the cupboard doors, frantically searching for a hiding place. Fortune smiled upon him—inside the lower compartment, only a few burlap sacks lay scattered about. There was just enough room for a child.

 

With great effort, Julius lifted his unresponsive brother and pushed him into the cupboard. Just as he closed the door... the creak of the back door echoed through the house. A figure, shadowy and menacing, stood at the threshold.

 

In his hand, the figure held a basket of poisonous red nuts and gazed at Julius with round, piercing eyes. As the legends foretold, the demon with the blue-black beard had returned. His hair and beard were of an unnatural hue, but despite the strangeness of his appearance, the demon had no horns, no pointed ears, nor fangs or claws. He was tall and exuded great strength, yet looked remarkably human. But that did not mean Julius could let his guard down—for it was said that the demons who could disguise themselves as men were the most dangerous of all.

 

"Well, well, what do we have here... An uninvited guest, come to feast on my supper," the demon said, his voice deep and measured.

 

"I—I'm terribly sorry! I will repay all that I've eaten, I promise!" Julius stammered, bowing over and over, his foot braced against the cupboard door. He knew there was little chance of forgiveness, but what else could he do but beg for mercy?

 

"Where are you from? And why do you travel through the forest so late at night?" the demon asked, though there was no malice in his tone—just a flicker of irritation. He set the basket down on the table, crossed his arms over his broad chest, and eyed Julius up and down, his gaze lingering on the boy's ankle.

 

(...Oh no...)

 

Julius quickly realized what had caught the demon's attention—the copper bracelet around his leg. He had worn it for so many years now... He had long wished to rid himself of it, but when he fled from home, he left it in place.

 

The copper bracelet was a mark, given to those who sold their bodies, both men and women alike, and it was the only gift Julius had ever received from his father. He had been forbidden to remove it and instructed always to answer when called.

 

"I asked you where you are from and what you are doing here," the demon repeated, his eyes narrowing slightly.

 

"I... I come from the northern village... I've heard that in the west, there is better work to be found, so I set out alone..."

 

"You've come a long way indeed," the demon said, though his voice held no warmth. "But you cannot simply walk into another's home and eat their supper. That is no different than theft."

 

"I'm sorry, I was so hungry... The delicious smell tempted me. Please, forgive me. It might take a few days, but I promise I will return with money. Please, just let me go..."

 

As the demon stepped closer and closer, Julius shrank back, frozen in place. Though the demon's human form wasn't as terrifying as the stories suggested, his blue-black beard gleamed darkly in the dim light. It was said that when he returned to his true form, he became a fearsome man-eating wolf, his body covered in fur, and that he took particular delight in devouring innocent children, starting with their heads.

 

"So, you intend to leave this forest, find your customers, and bring back the money you'd earn with your body?" The demon smiled, but there was something sinister behind it. His words cut deeply, and Julius could only nod silently, unable to refute the accusation. In truth, he no longer wished to find customers, but it was the only way he knew to quickly gather the money he needed.

 

"Very well, then. Come with me. I'll allow you to work off your debt."

 

"...What?" Julius whispered, his blood running cold.

Last Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter