Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 176 “A Warm Family”

A while later, Nina’s figure appeared in Duncan’s sight – the girl trotted over with a pleasant smile after seeing her uncle sitting in a daze in front of the antique shop.

“Uncle, I’m back!” She waved her hand to say hello.

Waking up from his musing, Duncan put his thoughts aside for the time being and got up to greet his niece. However, he was startled by the girl’s panting appearance and frowned: “Didn’t I give you money for the bus? How come you still ran home instead?”

Nina kept panting until she finally gathered her breath. Then scratching her head in embarrassment, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small paper bag: “I… was passing by Dr. Albert’s clinic when I came back…”

Duncan took the package and squeezed it, realizing it was a couple of pills inside.

“Dr. Albert said you have been using alcohol for a long time to relieve pain. Although your physical condition is improving and you have successfully quit drinking, people who drink for a long time are prone to adverse reactions once they forcibly quit,” Nina explained in a low voice. “This is a drug used to reduce alcohol withdrawal. If you are not feeling well, you can take a tablet… In addition, Dr. Albert also said if your health has not deteriorated lately, you can stop taking the medicine from before. But it is still recommended that you visit his clinic for a thorough examination…”

Duncan silently listened to Nina’s whisper that’s borderline cautious. He knew what she was trying to do, so he waited until she finished before placing a hand on the girl’s hair and ruffling it.

“Uncle?” Nina raised her head suspiciously but saw Duncan’s expression had grown considerably more severe. This left her a bit uneasy inside: “You… what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Or…”

“I’m fine,” Duncan suddenly laughed and bent down to eye level with his niece, “but don’t use your bus money to buy me medicine in the future. There is no shortage of money at home now, and you can keep more pocket money in case you want to buy something… If you don’t have enough, come tell me.”

Nina showed a stunned face at this. She’s always felt something was different with her uncle and couldn’t figure out why, but now she’s starting to understand. With a nod: “Oh, okay…”

Then she thought for a moment and poked her head towards the inside of the shop with a hopeful face: “Uncle, then… can you teach me how to ride the bike? You said I can after school…”

“It’s not a good time right now,” Duncan raised an eyebrow, “it might rain soon.”

“But we’re right at the door,” Nina muttered but didn’t give up, “We can go right back inside if it does…”

Duncan chuckled at the girl’s insistence and nodded helplessly: “Okay, put away your bag first before we begin. We can only practice for a little bit before stopping. I haven’t prep dinner yet.”

“OKAY!” Nina immediately jumped cheerfully and ran inside. Casually tossing her schoolbag aside, the girl struggled to push the brand new bike outside due to how unfamiliar she was with the vehicle.

“…… Actually, I think you have to learn to ride from scratch,” Duncan sighed at Nina’s clumsy appearance and stepped forward to help by controlling the handlebars. “We can start by teaching you how to keep your balance. Don’t worry, I will keep my hands in the rear so that you won’t fall.”

Nina nodded obediently. After Duncan helped onto the seat, she grabbed the handlebar and clumsily pedaled the wheels like she was tackling the most challenging thing ever. “Uncle, you must hold it! Don’t let go!”

“Okay, okay, just trust me…”

A slightly salty and cold wind blew through the old streets of the lower city, rolling up fallen leaves and flying dust among the low, dilapidated buildings. Matched this dreary mood with the dark clouds looming overhead, it’s giving this neighborhood an ominous and heavy atmosphere. Yet, despite this, the jingling bell and giggling here brought a ray of life to the street.

Nearby, a black vintage car had just stopped in the open space around the corner when this was happening. Mr. Morris had just stepped out of the vehicle in his short top hat and long overcoat. At first the old historian only had the antique shop in his eye, but as the uncle and niece were practicing out in the open, his attention was soon drawn toward the sound.

It’s such a warm scene, a child and her guardian spending time together as a family. As an outsider, he shouldn’t be involving the innocent. However, he also remembered his own daughter after she visited. Heidi only spent an afternoon here that day, and the protection had been activated. As a father, he couldn’t turn a blind eye when something posed a danger to his only child.

“May wisdom give me insight, enlighten my mind, see the truth, and see through the fog…” Morris whispered this prayer after pulling out a monocle from his pocket. He placed the item over one of his eyes to let the blessing work.

Immediately, Morris fell into a trance as he stared in the direction of the antique shop, the runes on the frame glowing due to the magic.

“May wisdom give me insight…”

He whispered the chant again and clamped the monocle onto one of his eyes…

This scene repeated again and again for several times until a gush of the cold wind changed the sequence.

Shivering, Morris rubbed his shoulders out of reflex to warm up. That’s when he finally noticed, the bracelet on his wrist. It should have twelve colored stones when he brought it out. He remembered this clearly. However, the bracelet now only had eight stones left. Four were missing!

Freezing as if struck by thunder, Morris found his heart pounding in fear as his blood turned cold and numb. He knew what this meant, and as if on cue to his horror, the giggling delight of a girl’s voice caught his ear.

“Uncle, you mustn’t let go! Ah, it’s crooked… The bike is going to fall!”

A middle-aged man with a gentle voice replied happily: “I’m holding it, don’t pedal so hard. You can straighten it back if you keep the handlebar straight. Now slowly pedal while keeping your posture. See, you’re not falling.”

“You mustn’t let go! I’m going now!”

“Don’t worry, I’m right behind you.”

Unlike the two voices, Morris’s ears were hearing more than just a simple conversation. In addition to the niece and uncle’s, he also heard the static sound of countless murmurs mixed within.

Rigidly turning his head, the old historian’s gaze eventually fell upon the open space in front of the antique shop.

Strong warning signs welled up from his soul, and the bracelet of the remaining eight stones made a low and strange rumbling as if whimpering. Then each stone became scorching hot, trying vainly to pull a drowning man back to the surface. Of course, Morris also fought the temptation to look, but his body was having none of it.

That’s when he saw it. The madly wriggling vortex of light and shadow, a crumpled mirror that seemed to reflect all of time and space simultaneously. It’s a giant, a huge being comprising of starlight in the form of a human carefully bent over to support a certain…

Honestly, if Morris hadn’t seen it himself, he would certainly not believe it. Right now, that being was helping an arc-shaped flame ride a bike!

Then, the whole world went quiet for the old historian as his consciousness faded into darkness.