Chapter 203: Counterfeit (II)

The Wishing Festival—a name that initially had the twins grumbling, as they’d rather have picked their own celebration. But something about this one sounded familiar, piquing their curiosity.

Suddenly, it hit them.

“Wait! That’s—”

“LuftHagen!”

It was the city they’d visited to catch the ship crossing over to the continental past—their autumnal past. There, amidst the vibrant festival, they’d crossed paths with someone special.

The memories remained vivid for both twins.

Kani muttered, her eyes distant and dreamy. “Ah, I remember. At that Wishing Festival, Louis and I performed together on stage… Our Louis… His singing was so lovely, and he was just adorable.”

Tania’s interest was piqued by her words. “You sing, Teacher?”

“Oh, yeah! Our Louis here is an amazing singer!”

“Wow…”

Tania’s head swiveled around.

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, clearly telegraphing, I want to hear him sing!

Of course, Louis casually brushed off her eagerness.

Just then, Lavina turned to Louis with a subtle question.

“By the way, why the sudden detour to LuftHagen?”

Having lived on the Winter Continent, Lavina was well aware of LuftHagen’s reputation. The port city had been celebrated as the finest trading port in the Winter Continent since ancient times, and maintained that prestigious legacy to this day.

She couldn’t quite understand why Louis, who had been diligently touring various places all along, would abruptly change his destination to LuftHagen.

Louis, who was piloting the Dragon Fly, answered nonchalantly, “Why? Just going for a boat ride.”

“A boat? Why do you need a boat?”

“We’re heading to the Autumn Continent.”

“Oh! You’re… you’re going to the Autumn Continent?” Lavina, who had been listening indifferently, suddenly exclaimed with surprise.

Louis chuckled at her reaction. “What, is there a problem?”

“N-no… it’s not a problem. I just never considered leaving the Winter Continent…”

She had run away from home determined to go on an adventure, but she had never thought about traveling beyond the Winter Continent.

Seeing that she seemed hesitant, Louis asked, “So? Don’t you want to go? Should I drop you off here?”

Lavina flew into a fluster at Louis’s teasing question.

“N-no! I definitely want to go! Please take me with you!”

Her eyes pleaded desperately.

Initially, the news of leaving the Winter Continent had startled her due to the fear of an unfamiliar environment.

However, her longing for new experiences outweighed her fears.

The Autumn Continent, huh…

Excitement bloomed in her heart.

When else would she get the chance to travel to another continent if not now?

A rosy blush spread across Lavina’s face.

At that moment, Kendrick piped up from the side.

“Teacher, is our journey through the Winter Continent at an end?”

“Well, we’ve pretty much seen most of the places there already, haven’t we?”

“I suppose so.”

“Is it too bad?”

“I suppose so… It’s still a bit disappointing to leave after being here for over a year.”

“Don’t worry. The Autumn Continent will be even more fun.”

“Let me tell you, I’m awfully excited to hear that.” Kendrick’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

He’s right, I made the best decision of my life by following my teacher!

Kendrick had experienced so much during their time on the Winter Continent. He’d even gone on his very first “tourist” trip.

If he hadn’t followed Louis, he’d still be living in some backwater village on the Spring Continent, spending his days hunting monsters and wild animals. He counted his decision to come with his teacher as the best choice he’d ever made.

Meanwhile, Louis’s reason for concluding his prolonged journey across the Winter Continent and crossing over to the Autumn Continent was simple:

My tower! My Tower of Wishes!

He had heard the resounding reputation of the Tower of Wishes even in these winter lands, and it stirred within him a burning desire to lay eyes on it as soon as possible.

Is this what it feels like to buy promising stocks, forget about them for a few years, and then discover they’ve skyrocketed when you finally check again?

How much had the Tower of Wishes changed? What awaited him at its peak? He yearned to find out with all his being.

Yet Louis didn’t rush. Though he longed to teleport to the tower’s location right this minute, he practiced patience instead.

After all, the greatest pleasures are those long-awaited.

It would be easy to instantly teleport, but…

That wouldn’t be any fun! I gotta savor this journey.

And taking his time traveling with companions and making new memories wouldn’t be so bad, either. After all, this was his first vacation.

Let’s hurry up! Hurry!

But Louis suppressed his desire to reach the Autumn Continent as soon as possible.

Bwaah.

However, perhaps unable to entirely quell his impatience, the Dragon Fly 3 defied its master’s will and careened across the Winter Continent at breakneck speed.

“W-Wait, teacher, just go a bit slower, please!” Lavina shouted.

“U-ughh! I think I’m gonna be sick!” Kendrick groaned.

Thanks to Louis’ Crazy Dash, Dragon Fly 3 arrived at the coastal area near LuftHagen much sooner than expected.

“Is that it? And over there, is that…the sea?” Kendrick gaped at the landscape surrounding LuftHagen.

He’d visited both the capital of Kanburk and Islet of the Empire, but this was his first time seeing such a massive city adjacent to the ocean. In fact, this was his first glimpse of the sea itself.

Tanya felt the same way.

“Oh wow…so that’s the ocean?”

Though she had seen rivers and lakes before, an expanse of water stretching endlessly before her eyes was a sight she had never witnessed until now.

“It’s a little…scary.”

Kendrick couldn’t tear his gaze away from the churning waves.

As the girl and boy from the mountains were entranced by the sight of the sea, they heard Lavina snorting from one side.

“What’s wrong? Is this your first time seeing the sea?”

Tania nodded. “Yes, it is! Isn’t this your first time too, Sis?”

“My family’s home isn’t far from here, you know.” She kept looking around as though wary of encountering someone from her family. To Louis, it seemed like an unnecessary concern.

“What’re you doing? Let’s go.”

The rest of the group naturally followed as Louis started walking first.

After displaying identification issued by the Kanburk Kingdom, they passed through the gates of LuftHagen Castle.

“Wow!”

“Ooh…”

The Flame siblings were once again completely awestruck by the hustle and bustle inside the castle grounds, causing their jaws to drop.

Louis was just as awestruck.

It’s grown so much since I’ve been gone.

Over the past 250 years, LoftHagen had developed considerably. Advanced architectural styles and perfectly maintained roads caught his eye.

It seems almost on par with the Islet now.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before LoftHagen surpassed the Islet. There were many reasons why it was considered the foremost trade port in the winter continent.

“Stay tight. If you get lost, don’t come looking for me!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Don’t worry, boss, we’ll stay right by your side!”

Tania and Kani huddled closer to Louis. Meanwhile, Kendrick, who had been quietly following the group from a distance, whispered to Lavina.

“Hey, is it normally this quiet when outsiders visit?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Why is everyone staring at us all the time?”

“…”

Lavina shot Kendrick a look that seemed to say, Don’t ask me such a dumb question.

Well, of course, it’s clear why! she thought to herself. They’re all this beautiful and handsome bunch just sticking together.

Lavina had always been confident about one thing since her childhood: her looks. She believed her face could’ve charmed people anywhere, if not for her small stature. However, her confidence was shattered when she joined Louis’s group.

Louis, his twins, and the Flame siblings…

Each beautiful girl was flanked by handsome boys, while each handsome boy was next to beautiful girls. It was a sight of five striking individuals—hardly imaginable in a lifetime—that drew attention from all around them. Yet, paradoxically, these individuals seemed completely oblivious to their effect…

Thanks to this, Lavina was certain of something important.

This is going to bite us in the ass sooner than later. It’s just a matter of time!

Where there’s flowers, there’s bees.

It would be stranger if no incidents occurred with this crowd around.

The fact that nothing had happened so far was the real oddity.

Seeing Lavina’s repeated nods, Kendrick blinked.

“Why do you look like you’ve achieved enlightenment or something?”

”…Sigh”

“What’s with the sigh? So why are people staring at us?”

“Whatever… Just live your life blissfully ignorant.”

Lavina grimaced and turned away, storming over to Louis and chattering incessantly.

“Lord Louis, so where are we heading?”

“To our lodging.”

“Did you book a place already?”

“I think so?”

No, it wasn’t that he had arranged everything, nor did it mean an outright refusal…

Lavina’s brow furrowed at Louis’s vague answer. What could she do, though? As the leader of their group, if he said this was the way to go, all she could do was follow. And truthfully, in the past few months, she’d never regretted following him. So, trusting her instincts, she trailed behind as he led them forward.

After about twenty minutes, Louis stopped and tried to recollect the route they had taken when following Pablo through these narrow alleys long ago. Memories flooded his mind as he stood there, a bittersweet smile dancing across his face.

The twins shared a similar sentiment. “Louis, is this the place…the one we’re looking for?”

“Where Moana and Lucia used to be?” Their memories of the past were still vivid. They could almost see the sisters bustling about their business just beyond that old, rundown door. But…

“Here? How can this be our lodgings?” Lavina’s question echoed their shared confusion.

The former site of the Siren’s Rest.

A huge edifice now stood where the small, shabby inn had once been. The unlit building gave off a gloomy, dispiriting air.

Louis rubbed his cheek wearily.

Was it wishful thinking?

Two hundred and fifty years had passed.

He had hoped that, like some family businesses, the Siren’s Rest might still be going strong, but it seemed he’d been overly optimistic.

We’ll come back again…

We will! We will!

Guys, let’s come back!

We’ve got to come back!

These were the promises Louis and his friends had made as they left LuftHagen. They had kept their word, but the ties that bound them to the past had long since faded.

A sense of regret lingered in Louis’s eyes.

Just then, a pedestrian approached from behind the party. It was a woman who looked to be in her thirties. On impulse, Louis reached out to stop her.

“Excuse me. I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“Hm?”

The woman was momentarily taken aback by Louis suddenly grabbing her attention. Once she saw his face though, she blushed slightly and lowered her eyes.

“W-What is it?”

“Have you heard of a inn called Siren’s Rest? I was told it’s a famous one in LuftHagen.”

“Siren’s Rest? Hmm… Well… I’m afraid I haven’t heard that name before. I’m quite new around these parts.”

“Then, do you perhaps know… what that building over there is?” Louis gestured towards the large structure behind them.

This time, the woman’s face lit up with recognition as she provided an answer.

“Ah, that’s the former performance hall.”

“The performance hall?”

“Yes, though to be exact, it used to be one. The company that ran it went bankrupt, so it’s closed now.”

“I see. Thank you for taking the time to share this with me.”

“Oh, no trouble at all. Please don’t mention it…” The woman blushed again and fled, as if embarrassed.

Kendrick watched her go and muttered, “She seems quite easily flustered.”

”…”

Of course, Louis couldn’t help but look at her dismissively.

“Now what do we do?”

“We should find lodging, right?”

“Hmm…”

In response to the twins’ question, Louis looked slightly troubled.

Though the resting place for sirens had disappeared forever, there was one last place we yearned to visit.

“Wait here…”

His hand dived into the pocket dimension and emerged with a single ring.

What’s this?

…Keep it.

…?

I’ll come back later if you show this ring to Bunt when you visit Lufthagen.

Ah.

Well, I’m really just wishing you never made it back again, of course.

The ring had been passed between the two Carries along with Siren’s Tears.

Even though they were once exiled, I’m sure the Bunt noble family survived at least.

I guessed that this ring alone could secure a place to stay in at least LUFTHAGEN Castle.

Free of charge, that is.

Louis, now in high spirits, laughed and shouted, “Come along! I’ll show you a wonderful place to rest tonight!”

The group eagerly followed behind Louis.

Twenty minutes later…

“Um… Louis-sir?”

“Teacher?”

“So… Is this the ‘wonderful place’ Louis mentioned?”

The travelers who had accompanied Louis were taken aback by the sight of the dilapidated mansion before them.

“Huh… what?”

It was certainly once a grand mansion, but years of neglect were evident as weeds and overgrown vines filled the entrance. Moreover, broken windows and a shattered main gate made it clear that the place was inhabitable. One could only hope that no monsters or ghosts would suddenly appear.

Could this be it…?

Bunt, who had followed the past Pablo here, was certain this was the right place. Moreover, the inscription on the door matched the one engraved on the chain in front of the building—this had to be the Bunt family’s residence.

I wonder if they’ve moved…

As Louis pondered this, another pedestrian passed behind him. It was an elderly man who seemed fairly old. Louis quickly approached him.

“Excuse me, sir!” he called out. “I have a question for you!”

“Hmm?” The old man turned around, his cane tapping against the ground.

“What seems to be the matter?”

“Do you know where the Bunt family moved to?”

“Bunt?”

The old man’s face contorted as if Louis had asked something rather peculiar.

“Are you not from around here?”

“I arrived today.”

“Oh, that explains it.”

“Huh?”

“You must not know about the Bunt Clan.”

”…Excuse me?”

“The Bunts? You’re asking about a bunch of deranged lunatics! The family’s been on the skids for at least 15 years now!”

While Louis blinked silently, the old man resumed his journey.

As the old man faded into the distance, Louis finally snapped out of his daze. He alternated glances between the menacing ruins and the ring in his hand, then sighed deeply.

“Time… Time leaves no one untouched.”