Side Story 03

Riv examined the book she was holding.

It wasn’t very thick.

It was hard to understand the contents of the book because there were so many pages that had fallen out.

The text was also different from what was used nowadays, so it took her a while to read.

But she understood the gist of it.

The man named Lai was real.

He was the founder of the Duchy of Sentoren.

He conquered this area as a pirate with his witch wife three hundred years ago.

When butler Karl heard the name Lai, he had something surprising to say.

“The name Lai is common in the Sentoren family. Many have even come up with names that could use the nickname Lai.”

“So they inherit the names of their ancestors?”

“It’s a similar concept. Lai is a name given to successor candidates and eldest sons.”

Karl knew a lot about the Duchy of Sentoren. However, he didn’t know much about the origins of the family, three hundred years ago.

“This book was written in old characters so it’s difficult to read.”

Karl nodded.

“I will call for a scholar who can read ancient scripts.”

“There is no need for that.”

The old butler fell into thought.

“Actually, this book seems to be a compilation of local legends and popular stories. I cannot guarantee that all of it is real.”

Lai’s story was exaggerated, as it had been passed from mouth to mouth. The book was more like a collection of famous love stories in the Mont Del region.

“All of the characters in this book may have ties to the Sentoren family.”

“I want to take a closer look.”

Riv carefully sorted through the battered parchment pages. Many pages had been lost, but the stories could still be read.

The story of Lai, the first Sentoren, was quite long. It seemed to be divided into three parts.

When he was a young pirate, when he settled down after quitting pirate life, and when he became the lord of this land.

“I wish I could read them all.”

Even though she hadn’t read it, she knew the ending.

Lai married and settled down with his adventurous witch. He was later given the title of Duke.

“Hmm.”

Riv swept her hair behind her ear.

The sound of children running could be heard. They had just woken up from their nap.

For the next few hours, while the kids were awake, she couldn’t think of anything else. The children ran more and more excitedly, as if noticing their father’s absence.

But Riv really didn’t notice Lionel’s absence until night fell and the kids went to bed.

Riv laid down, exhausted, and tried to sleep.

***

-“This…!”

She realized she had entered the story again.

Her senses in a dream and in the story were different. Her senses here felt so real.

-“Where are you?”

Riv looked around, talking to herself. She wondered if Lai would appear here again.

Lai Sentino.

She wondered if she would ever see him again.

-“Where are you?”

She moved in search of the man.

In front of Riv, a road led to a familiar steep hill. She decided to follow it.

After a while, she arrived at the ruins of the old castle on the Sentoren family’s property, which overlooked the town of Sentino.

An old wall created a small patch of shade, blocking the sun that was rising high in the sky. It shone brilliantly above her head.

Riv leaned against the wall, hiding in the shade.

There was no fog, so the beautiful landscape was completely visible.

When she tiptoed, she could see over the wall, past the village, to the edge of the blue sea.

Hundreds of years ago, the sea would have been much closer.

This certainly didn’t seem to be the time period where Lai lived. There were a total of three stories that involved him.

The story of his pirate days, the story of the village, and the short story of him marrying his witch and settling down.

If she was in the story, then this must be….

-“Is this the second story?”

The moment she thought that the sea was too far away, the landscape changed.

The old ruins of Sentino castle and its gray walls grew rapidly. They grew bigger and bigger until they turned into a huge fortress.

The moment she blinked her eyes, ‘he’ appeared.

A free-spirited man with long blonde hair.

When he saw Riv, his eyes widened in amazement. A smile spread across his face in an instant.

-“Are you a ghost? I’ve never heard of witches teleporting.”

-“I’m not a ghost.”

Lai smiled playfully.

-“We meet again, witch.”

-“My name is Riv.”

The moment she looked up at him, she was speechless.

-“…..!”

It was because there was a new scar on Lai’s face.

Like Lionel, a red scar covered half of his face. Even the scar above his eyebrows seemed to have become darker.

Noticing Riv’s gaze, he smiled mischievously.

-“I didn’t want to see you with a face like this, is it a mess?”

Riv grabbed his face. She ran her fingers over the scar again and again.

-“Does it hurt?”

-“It doesn’t.”

The man smirked.

If he wasn’t Lionel, why did he have the same scars as him?

He even looked a little older than when she had met him at sea. His eyes and gestures also showed a sense of calmness and dignity.

‘I wonder how many years have passed since then?’

-“Why did you show up now?”

He asked accusingly with a smile on his face.

He was not Lionel, so why did he have the same scars on the same face?

Even though this was his ancestor, weren’t they a bit too similar?

-“What are you thinking about?”

-“I’m not thinking about anything.”

Unlike Lionel, who had a cold image, Lai’s impression was quite different.

He came to her without hesitation, perhaps because he realized he had become much more attractive. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

-“Hmm?”

Quickly, the man’s hand began to run down her back towards her buttocks.

Riv pulled her body away from him.

-“Lai, I am a married woman.”

-“Hah.”

-“I have children too.”

Lai didn’t care.

-“Do you want to cheat on him? With me?”

Riv was momentarily speechless.

-“I have two children.”

-“Are you on good terms with your husband?”

-“Yes.”

-“You like your children too?”

Riv nodded her head, picturing their children. They were lovely and cute, resembling both her husband and herself. They were her treasures.

Once she got out of this story, she would definitely hug the kids.

But Lai was indifferent. He laughed.

-“Then play with me. Until your husband returns.”

-“……”

Seeing Lai smiling brightly, Riv knew she had gotten into serious trouble.

She knew he wasn’t Lionel, so why was she like this?

It was like seeing Lionel’s younger brother. She felt like this was okay, like she was having an affair with someone with the same face.

Since she couldn’t leave the story right away, it was safest to stay with the main character.

Riv leaned against the castle wall and talked with him.

-“Why did you leave your pirates? You were their captain.”

-“I’m not a pirate anymore, I’m the leader of the autonomous unit here.”

-“Autonomous unit?”

To Riv, it didn’t sound like much had changed.

Even though this was more than two hundred years ago, he was ahead of his time.

-“I decided to protect this town. Pirates are aiming for this place.”

-“Why?”

He answered very plainly.

-“This is the village of wizards.”

Sentino Village?

There was no time to think. Because Lai pulled her by the arm and whispered.

-“Play with me.”

There was a twinkle in his eyes.

Riv was very, very weak to Lionel’s face.

-“…Sounds good.”

They started to walk towards the village.

Many greeted Lai. He walked around smiling brightly, with Lionel’s face. It was odd to see him smiling so much.

-“What?”

Lai had caught her staring.

-“Just…”

-“Because I resemble your husband? Handsome right?”

Riv couldn’t bring herself to say that her husband was Lai’s descendant.

-“Look around town. I’ll buy you anything you like.”

As she looked around excitedly, she noticed Lai quietly walking with her. He matched her stride, just like Lionel.

-“Why?”

-“Just like my husband.”

At those words, Lai’s expression darkened.

-“Didn’t you say that back then? Am I really like your husband?”

Riv nodded her head. He sighed in disgust.

-“I envy your husband. If I had met you sooner, you might have married me.”

Lai smiled softly. Riv suddenly realized.

The appearance of Lai in the book was different from this one. He had dark hair and a slightly hooked nose.

Their faces and even their hair colors weren’t the same.

‘Did I project the image of Lionel onto the main character in this book?’

Then, was it Lai or Lionel in front of her?

Lai, or Lionel, who was younger than the present, was tilting his head.

-“What’s the matter?”