Side Story 18: Lover (1)
“…What?”
“It’s just as I said. I don’t know the exact time but there’s not much time left. It’s not a future where I die of old age.”
“You saw the future?”
“Dark elementalists tend to see the future from time to time.”
“That’s not what I… Hah.”
It didn’t seem like Michael was lying. He suddenly said he had seen a future, and that he was dying in it.
Confused, Hades rubbed his forehead for a while and spoke.
“Didn’t you say your curse was lifted as well?”
“No, it is not a future where I die of the curse. I merely saw my death in advance.”
“I mean, why? Your curse was lifted and there are no other issues left to solve…”
“Perhaps Michael Lighart was destined to have an early demise?”
“Dammit! That brother of yours! Wasn’t he an omnipotent being who can overturn that damn fate? What is this nonsense after how I barely managed to kill Gaionia?”
Looking at Hades enraged and gnashing his teeth, Michael stared with surprise in his eyes.
“What an honor. I thought you would rejoice in knowing my early death, Your Grace.”
“What are you saying? How shocked would Aisha be?”
“Hm… so it’s for the duchess’ sake after all?”
“Yes! What would it matter to me if you die early or not? It’s because of Aisha obviously!”
Though he shouted rough words, it wasn’t like Michael couldn’t notice Hades’ baffled true feelings behind it.
Looking at Hades’ refreshing reaction, he snickered and shrugged.
“Seems that since Your Grace is going to mourn my death, my life wasn’t so meaningless after all.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Why, how are you dying? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“No, I can’t really tell. It’s like…”
Michael winced slightly recalling the future he got a glimpse of.
“It was under a night sky full of sparks of all kinds of shades. I closed my eyes in comfort finally as if I was going to sleep…”
“Nuts. I can never understand your brother’s intention. After everything I did to undo the curse…”
Hades trembled with his fist clenched tightly.
Michael was also curious about Procreathor’s intentions. But he merely assumed that there must be a reason.
“Anyways, please keep my secret. It is a shame I have to go before seeing the adorable second child you two will be having. but I must hurry.”
“You’re really leaving? Why don’t you reconsider? You’ve left Deborah with us too, haven’t you? You have no one by your side and you are thinking of having a quiet death alone in the foreign land?”
“I have no choice. I would break the duchess’ heart if I die here. It would be troublesome if I were to affect the baby to be born.”
Though it was a shame, Michael’s words were not wrong. He would be most happy to have his closest sibling Aisha by his side right before his death, but…
Like he said, Hades didn’t want to make anything that would be a huge shock to Aisha or the baby happen.
Hades felt a painful feeling that he seemed a bit selfish as he nodded reluctantly.
* * *
While catching some breath after the baptism, Hades visited my room.
“What are you doing?”
“Reading the baby some books!”
Hades lifted the book I was reading slightly to check the cover. His handsome brows furrowed at once in disapproval.
“And you are taking care of the baby by reading this harmful book?”
“Harmful? It’s not.”
It was full of wholesome love stories of Abel and Deborah, nothing else!
Nothing would beat this in taking care of my baby.
“I have cut off all your schedules. You need to look after your body. If there’s anyone who still nag about needing to see you. let me know,” Hades said as he sat next to me.
Hm, I better not tell him even if I get visitors.
From the look on Hades’ face, it seemed they would end up dead for trying to come say hi to me.
“No need for you to be so overprotective. The doctor told me that it’s you I should be taking heed of the most.”
“What?”
“Peh, she says we shouldn’t do it if possible at the early stages of pregnancy. Though it’s a shame, let’s use separate beds for now.”
“Yeah? But not doing it is one thing, why use separate beds?”
Hades dragged up a chair and sat right by my side. His touch with his arms around my waist and slowly running his hand over my stomach was full of intentions.
“You beast.”
“Did you figure that out only just now?”
Looking at Hades pranking me with surprised eyes, I just laughed.
“Abel would really like it if we told Abel on his birthday, right?”
“I bet. But Aisha, about the grand priest…”
“Ignis? Why?”
Hades mouthed a few times looking hesitant for some reason, then shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
“What, you are so silly. Oh right, I’ve also sent an invitation to the author who wrote
That author who got summoned by Hades with no idea and got hugged by me.
Hearing my words, Hades crumpled his face.
“Why him?”
“Ha ha… he is a man who even wrote the side stories for us, he could come to eat nice things too.”
“That’s being unnece…”
And… I was intending on asking if he had seen Procreathor in his dream again by any chance and how he is doing in the other world.
Are you well as well? Because I’m living the happiest life I possibly can.
* * *
The author arrived at the castle late that afternoon.
His eyes widened from seeing the fancy teatime table before him. He answered me with a look of embarrassment when I asked him about his pen name.
“It’s S-Silver Light, duchess. ehem!”
“Peh! O-oh my. I am sorry. What a dashing name.”
It was as cheesy as my second name Stanley Anning. I almost spat the tea I was drinking.
His naming sense was so pitiful.
It would rather be better if it was written in Korean.
Eunbit? Perhaps that’s too common and straightforward.
What about Eunchae, using hanja? Perhaps that would be better…
Anyways, the author Silver Light seemed to be aware that his pen name was cheesy too. He tilted his teacup looking embarrassed.
Mr. Silver Light tasted the expensive tea and lit up his face at once.
“Does the tea taste alright?”
“Yes, duchess! Thank you so much for inviting me like this. When I was summoned before His Grace the first time, I thought I was dead for sure, but now, I am so glad that I have released that book…”
“I’ve had so much fun reading it. Thank you.”
“No, it’s nothing. Thanks to that I got a chance to eat a lot of tasty things and be invited by someone like you… it’s my honor.”
“Huhu… now that you are a famous author, you should work on your next book.”
As I spoke with the slight intention of asking if he had dreamt anything else, Mr. Silver Light gave an awkward smile as he scratched the back of his head.
“I think I may have spent all my luck on writing that book. I’ve created nothing but mediocre stories so far, no matter how hard I tried. Well, that book was also created through help from that man from my dream too, if I think about it.”
I felt somewhat sorry looking at Mr. Silver Light’s face as he shrank at once.
I tried to console him.
“No. That man from your dream must have sought you out too because you have some kind of talent, Mr. Silver Light.”
“Well. Even if I think of my next work… I can’t really think up plots that the public would enjoy…”
“Hm, then should I tell you my story a little?”
“Huh? About you, duchess?”
The unfortunate nerd from the other side world gets hit by a car while reading
And she chases down the male lead who was her favorite character and gets caught by the male lead’s father. This and that happens and in the end, she marries the father and ends up becoming the male lead’s mother…!
‘Hm, my life is a fun story on its own, wouldn’t it sell to have it written as a novel?’
Seeing me hesitate, Mr. Silver Light urged me. “What is the story about?”
“It’s about a dream I had one time, it was interesting, somewhat. Would you like to hear it?”
“I’d be honored!”
“I can’t tell you without a price though…”
Hearing me, Mr. Silverlight tilted his head.
“By any chance, did you not get a chance to meet that man from your dream after that?”
“Ah…”
Mr. Silver Light mused for a moment the let out an exclamation. It seems there was something.
“Did you meet him?”
“Er… to be honest, he did show up in my dream again two days ago.”
“My, really? What did he say? Did he say anything about me perhaps?”
“Huh? You, duchess?”
“Ah, sorry. I wonder what he said. Do tell me.”
“He came in a hurry and asked me to relay a letter. But the letter I’ve written from my memory had names I have no idea about…”
“What did it say? Who did he ask for it to be sent to?”
For some reason, Mr. Silver Light was hesitant to continue.
I waited patiently and after much hesitation, Mr. Silver Light took out a single paper folded twice from within his inner pocket.
“He says to give this to the Grand priest of the temple. But how could a guy like me meet the Grand priest? So, if it’s possible duchess, could you…”
“Oh! Good job bringing it! I can give it to him!”
I was about to take the letter, but Mr. Silver Light suddenly pulled his hand away to take it back.
“Er… but the content of it is very very blasphemous… I swear it wasn’t me who wrote it, I’ve only written down what the man from my dream told me to.”
What could the detail be about?
I spoke with a smile as to soothe the worried Mr. Silver Light.
“Don’t worry, no matter what the content is, no harm would come to Mr. Silver Light.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
Looking relieved, Silverlight handed me the letter.
Then he said hastily, “You’d tell me about that dream you had so much fun in, right duchess?”
“Ah of course. But in return…”
For starters, since it was a novel about what had happened to me, I wanted the title to be somewhat cool.
Worried about Mr. Silver Light’s naming sense, I added carefully.
“You shouldn’t give it too cheesy a title, okay?”
“My, of course! I will name it with many thoughts given! Just let me hear it!”
He clenched his fist looking full of will.
Hm, I don’t trust him enough though…
* * *
[Dear my sibling, Ignis.]
Reading the contents of the letter from Mr. Silver Light, I was heading to Michael’s room as I continued to wipe away at the fogging sight.
Though it wasn’t a content I want him to know of, it was not a letter I could hide from him.
[I’m sorry to be in touch with you after so long and say something like this, but… I need you dead as soon as possible.]
Because Michael, no, Ignis would be wanting it with all his heart.
A reunion with his dear lover.
[You lover has just been born in my world, right now. She is only 8 months old. She isn’t even properly created yet, but I could sense a strong will from her wanting to meet you.]
[I’m sure you must want to enjoy the happiness from there a little longer, but it would take another long wait for you two to be reunited, so…
I would like you to come now.]
As I burst open Michael’s door, he stared at me with a look of surprise.
Michael was flipping over the pages on the chair like a doll, then he approached me looking caught off-guard seeing me crying.
“What’s the matter? Why are you crying?”
[Let’s leave Genus to be happy there a little longer. You must be feeling sorry to not take care of her to the end, but there are plenty of others who will love, protect and take care of her. So don’t worry too much.]
What choice would Michael make if I hand him this letter?
He would try to die at once with glee, wouldn’t he?
“Hu, huu…”
“I said what’s the matter? Don’t tell me that the duke made you cry. This punk did not take my working seriously…”
Looking angered, Michael was about to leave the room to make Hades half-dead.
I held his arm back in a hurry and stopped him.
“It’s-it’s not that…”
“What is it then?!”
[We’ve gone through so much trouble up to this point. You worked so hard. After Genus finishes her fate there, we can invite her over too. Then by the next, next life, all of us may be able to be together.]
His words would be true. So I know that this is not the final end, yet…
Feeling sorry for the farewell I’m about to face, I couldn’t help but hold back Michael.
With trembling hands, I shoved Procreathor’s letter at him and asked, “…Are you going?”