Responses
the summery said "all that was left for a young boy, Boris, was the heirloom sword, “Winterer.“" so I agree with you statement he probably died in the lake with his father.
I agree, he seems to be in a mix between dream and reality
What I'm thinking is that the he is travelling alone, the brother died that time; the winterer is the sword from which seems is creating the hallucinations of a brother? Or maybe a spirit? I'm confuse tbh waiting for update.